The Athletes Getting Paid Aren't Just the Fastest. They're the Best Storytellers.

Hey Parents & Jr. CTRLers,

Let me tell you something the recruiting rankings won’t.

Last week, Learfield dropped a stat that should have every student athlete and sports parent paying attention: female athlete participation in NIL deals jumped 123% this year. From 2,136 athletes to 4,772. Women’s basketball is now third across ALL sports in NIL activity. Softball is climbing into the top five.

And the reason? It wasn’t because they suddenly got faster or started dunking.

Learfield’s own head of NIL, Solly Fulp, said it plainly: female athletes are “excellent content creators and storytellers.” They’re social media savvy. They show genuine brand enthusiasm.

Read that again.

The NIL gap isn’t closing because of rule changes. It’s closing because these athletes figured out what too many people still sleep on: your story is your currency.

Brands like State Farm, Uber, AT&T, Marriott, and Geico signed over 260 college athletes across 69 schools this past year. Restaurants are the number one sponsor category. Financial services, healthcare, and professional services are right behind them.

None of those companies are sponsoring athletes because of their 40-yard dash time. They’re sponsoring athletes who can:

• Show up consistently on social media

• Tell a story that connects with an audience

• Represent a brand without being awkward about it

• Create content that feels real, not rehearsed

That’s not talent you’re born with. That’s a skill you build. Starting now.

The conversation to have this week:

Parents, sit down with your athlete and ask: “If a brand wanted to partner with you tomorrow, what would they see when they looked you up?”

If the answer is a locked account with three posts from 2024, that’s the problem. You don’t need to go viral. You need to be findable, consistent, and intentional.

Athletes, ask yourself: “What’s my story beyond my sport?” Because the athletes landing these deals aren’t just posting highlights. They’re sharing their training routines, their game day rituals, their community involvement, their personality. That’s what makes a brand want to work with you.

Here’s the part nobody tells you in the weight room.

The athletes who are earning from NIL aren’t waiting for someone to hand them a microphone. They’re creating their own. Phone, ring light, a quiet room, and something to say. That’s the whole setup.

Social media content. Ambassador programs. Public appearances. Autograph sessions. Production shoots. Those are the top partnership types brands are using right now. Every single one requires you to be comfortable talking about yourself and your journey.

What to start doing today:

1. Pick one platform and post weekly. Not daily. Weekly. Consistency beats frequency every time.

2. Practice your intro. Can you introduce yourself in 30 seconds and make someone care? If not, work on it. Record it. Watch it back. Do it again.

3. Document, don’t perform. Take people behind the scenes of your training, your recovery, your pregame playlist. Authenticity is what brands are buying.

4. Build a content bank. Take 10 photos and 3 short videos every week. You don’t have to post them all. But when opportunity knocks, you’ll have something ready.

The lesson here:

Twenty-two national brands partnered with college athletes this year. That number is only going up. The athletes who will benefit aren’t the ones waiting to get discovered. They’re the ones who already have a presence, a voice, and a point of view.

Your content game IS your brand game. And your brand game is what opens doors that your stat line alone cannot.

This isn’t just a women’s sports story. This is an everybody story.

The 123% jump in female athlete NIL deals proves something that applies to every Jr. CTRLer reading this, regardless of sport or gender: the athletes who control their narrative are the ones who get opportunities. Period.

You don’t need a million followers. You don’t need a professional media team. You need:

• A clear sense of who you are beyond your jersey number

• The willingness to put yourself out there consistently

• The discipline to treat your personal brand like it matters, because it does

The NIL market is projected to hit $2.55 billion this year. That money is going somewhere. Make sure your story is ready when it’s your turn.

• Learfield NIL Report - Look up the 2025-26 data. Know the landscape you’re walking into.

• NCSA (Next College Student Athlete) at ncsasports.org - Free resources on NIL basics for student athletes and parents.

• Your school’s compliance office - Before you sign anything or post sponsored content, know your school’s rules. Every state is different. Every conference is different. Ask first.

• Get your FREE copy to get you started. CLICK HERE

  

The fastest way to become a marketable athlete isn’t just getting better at your sport. It’s getting better at telling your story. The data proves it. The brands are showing you what they value. The question is whether you’re paying attention.

Your highlights reel gets you recruited. Your narrative gets you paid.

Want to go deeper? Head to the YouTube and let’s talk about it: http://www.youtube.com/@tonyamckenzie

Got a topic you want covered? A question about building your brand as a student athlete? Send me a message. This newsletter is for you, so tell me what you need.

Jr. CTRLers is a weekly newsletter from Sand & Shores for student athletes and sports parents who want to build, protect, and monetize the brand before someone else defines it for them.

Tonya McKenzie | Founder, Sand & Shores | Chief CTRLer of the Narrative sandandshores.com | Instagram: @TonyaMcKenziePR