French professional tennis player Caroline Garcia used her offseason to enroll in Harvard Business School’s semester-long Crossover Into Business program.
Garcia, who boasts career-high rankings of No. 4 in singles and No. 2 in doubles, is the 2022 WTA Finals champion, a two-time major doubles champion and French Open women’s doubles champion in 2016 and 2022. I am doing it.
Garcia, who founded the podcast Tennis Insider Club with partner Borja Duran in 2023, said in an interview with The Crimson that the opportunity to study at HBS was “perfect timing” for her personal and professional life, and that she is looking forward to both. He said that he has a combination of interests. Sports and Media Journalism.
“I’m nearing the end of my tennis career and looking forward to expanding my knowledge outside,” she said, pointing to other professional athletes like LeBron James, who is active extensively in the media. he said.
The “Crossover Into Business” program, led by HBS professor Anita Elbers in 2017, allows professional athletes to “work with MBA student mentors to develop business acumen,” according to the HBS website. It is said that this is the purpose.
The Crossover Into Business program originally began in partnership with the NBA, but has since expanded to represent athletes from a variety of sports leagues, including the WNBA, NWSL, NFL, and NHL.
This year, Garcia is one of five players from the Hologic Women’s Tennis Association enrolled in the crossover program, along with Aldila Stiadi, Angelina Gabueva, Fernanda Cotreras and Katarzyna Piter. Garcia said that although she knew past WTA players who had completed the program, she “didn’t expect” the opportunity to participate herself.
“I got an email from the WTA asking if I wanted to join the program, and that was kind of a sign,” she said. “I haven’t had the opportunity to go to school since I was 18 because of tennis, so I felt it was a good opportunity to go back to school and learn new things.”
Elbers, who teaches a popular MBA course, “The Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports,” said his teaching in the Crossover program provides insight into the “sobering” statistics of professional athletes facing financial hardship after fame. He said it would help him fight.
“I think for me it started with the realization that a lot of athletes make a lot of money during their career and then lose it as soon as their career is over,” Elbers said.
For Garcia, the Crossover Into Business program also serves as an environment separate from the “stressful” sports scene.
“Although the first crossover that I am currently working on is very short in duration, it was already a good success to be able to take the first step to experience a different environment,” she said. “I have learned so much and met so many wonderful people through this program that I am happy to continue participating in it.”
—Staff writer Ava H. Rem can be reached at ava.rem@thecrimson.com. X Follow her at @avar3m.
