In a candid revelation that has sent ripples through the track and field community, sprint sensation Noah Lyles has opened up about a pivotal career decision that came on the heels of signing a sponsorship contract with sportswear giant Adidas.
In a conversation with Ben Gallaga, on the Everybody Wants To Be Us podcast Lyles opened up on various aspects of his life, career, hobbies, and much more.
Throughout his journey from being a collegiate athlete to turning pro, he went through several phases of development to achieve success on a larger scale. One of the subjects that the duo spoke about was how turning pro was significant in a track and field athlete’s life.
For Lyles, it did mean taking some big risks at the cost of getting better resources and opportunities, particularly, when he got in touch with the popular sports brand Adidas.
Gallaga asked him about the nuances of transitioning from a college athlete to a professional and the requirements it came with. Lyles recalled how he and his brother had been breaking several high school records and were ready to bet on their chances of going pro.
Along with their agent, they approached some companies who could give them opportunities and financial backing. That’s where Adidas jumped in with a great offer, and the boys bagged a contract each for future professional sprints.
However, with the way college athletics worked, Lyles revealed how they weren’t allowed to compete in college-level competitions once he began earning money from external sponsors.
Therefore, he had to take a risk and let go of the college admission he had signed up for immediately after hopping on the Adidas contract.
“We had already signed our Letter of Intent to college. And then, we was like ‘Hey! Yeah… we’re not coming’.”
But did Lyles truly feel the weight of the risky judgment he was to take? He laughed as Gallaga asked him his true feelings about his career-changing decision.
Not only was Lyles not afraid to take the big step forward in his journey, but he was also glad to not continue schooling for too long.
“I’m not a traditional learner.”
Learning has always been slightly different for the sprinting icon, who leaned towards his other interests owing to his ADD and Dyslexia. And while his asthma has been a hurdle in his dream career, it hasn’t kept him away from being one of the most successful athletes on track this season.
