Former cyclist Marco Doets discovered during the Master in Sport Management what he really wants, which is to follow an old childhood dream
During the Master in Sport Management, former professional cyclist Marco Doets found out that he wanted to live out a childhood dream and join the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. After a good time at SEG Cycling he is now abandoning the sports industry. “It’s something that always seemed wonderful to me at a young age, but because of my focus on sport –which was also great– I never saw it as a real option. On the Master in Sport Management, you pay a lot of attention to your motivations, and what you truly want, and that’s how I found out that I wanted to follow that childhood dream. I will take all my knowledge and experience of sport and the corporate sports world with me in this new challenge. Playing sport and working in sport has shaped me as a person,” says Marco.
“I will take all my knowledge and experience of sport and the corporate sports world with me in this new challenge”
Marco is only in his twenties and has already built up an interesting career. He was a professional cyclist, but he decided to make his first major career switch when he realized that as a U23 cyclist, he was unable to take the next step in his development as an athlete. “When I was forced to conclude that I was not progressing, I decided to leave this dream behind and put an end to my career as a cyclist, to further explore the professional side of sport marketing,” he says.
Marco Doets in training.
With his passion for sport, he focused on a career in the sports industry and, thanks to successfully obtaining his bachelor degree at the Johan Cruyff Academy —where he was able to combine professional cycling with studies in sport marketing— he was able to join SEG Cycling, which was obviously a great fit for him, as a former professional cyclist. In the last academic year, he combined that position with the Master in Sport Management at the Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam, which he studied with the support of a Telesport scholarship. We spoke to him about his career and the choices he has made.
How do you look back on your cycling career: satisfied or disappointed?
I look back fondly on my career as a professional cyclist. When I started cycling at the age of 14, I never expected to make the steps that I eventually took. Being able to win, after hard work, together with your teammates, is great. The feeling of winning remains one of the best there is. The many adventures, competitions and training camps abroad, and the friendships that I formed during my time as a cyclist, make it a wonderful period for me.
Marco (on the left) with client Wessel Krul at SEG Cycling.
Can you explain what SEG Cycling does?
We represent athletes. At SEG Cycling, we help cyclists in their career. We work as a team of managers and agents, with a back office that includes specialized lawyers and a marketing department, through which we are in contact with all professional teams and stakeholders in cycling.
We help clients with everything that comes with being —or becoming— a professional cyclist, the most important part being the contract and the negotiations with the teams, sponsors and other parties involved.
Marco Doets at the graduation ceremony of the Master in Sport Management Amsterdam.
Besides following your dream, what else have you gained from the Master in Sport Management?
The Master in Sport Management offered me a good exercise in personal reflection. During this program, you will learn a lot about who you are, and what you want. The personal development I went through during the academic year has been very valuable to me. I am now making another career switch and am going to make my childhood dream come true!
In addition, I found the guest lectures very interesting and I was able to further expand my network with the new contacts and friends that I have acquired from the Master in Sport Management.
