Debunking the Myths: How to Date an Athlete

There's a lot of reasons to date athletes. They're obviously into personal fitness and health, have dedication and endurance, and are passionate about something. But, with so many shows out there these days, like Basketball Wives, and with every young celebrity, socialite, and video vixen scrambling to date a star athlete (think Khloe and Kim Kardashian), there's a lot of misconceptions about what it's like to date athletes, and even how to do so, in the media today. As someone who's dated, or umm, been involved with, cough cough, a hockey goalie, two cross country runners, six basketball players, five lacrosse players, two tennis players, three football players, and two soccer players, I know the positives, negatives, drawbacks, and tricks to actually dating an athlete.

1. Expect them to smell. Not a little, not just occasionally, but a lot and all the time. If you're a girl that can't deal with a little dirt, grime, and sweat, this may not be the guy for you.

2. If you don't know his favorite team and favorite player, it's like you slapped him in the face.

3. If he doesn't text you back right away, he's probably watching the game or playing Madden.

4. A bad game, practice, or even work out, can put him in a funk for at least a couple hours.

5. You can't wait outside the locker room only after the wins, make sure you're there after the losses, too.

6. He's going to eat McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, Boston Market, and a lot of it. And he's not going to gain any weight. Ever. Try not to be jealous.


7. Tell him he looks hot in his high-school hoodie. Even though he wears it everyday. Don't tell him his butt looks cute in his uniform.

8. Girls will hit on him. Especially drunk girls, out at a party, after a win, when he played especially well. Ignore her tiny skirts and low-cut shirts as she pours over him. Give them a smirk and walk away. You already know you're the one going home with him.

9. Confidence is key. Needy, insecure, and jealous is never sexy. The last thing he needs after a game is a phone full of angry texts about the random girl with his number on her face.

10. The myth that all athletes cheat is just that. A myth. If you're faithful and supportive, he's likely to do the same for you.

11. Be independent. Yes, it's important to attend his games, but it shouldn't be the main event of your week.

12. Learn to be ok with the fact that his teammates are always hanging around. Always.

13. If he needs to vent about how much of a stupid asshole his coach is, let him. If the most upset you've ever seen him is when he played awful in the playoffs, that's ok. Act like you care, even if you don't.

14. Don't talk about how hot his teammates are. No one likes a groupie.

15. Realize that the sport is as important to him as just about anything else in his life. Make peace with that before you start dating him.