Trent Mayfield: Confidence and Freedom Beyond the Game

Trent Mayfield is a former collegiate American football player who has transitioned into a new role in sports as an agent representing basketball players. He started playing sports at a young age and was drawn to football after spending Sundays watching the Tennessee Titans with his family. His passion for the game and the sense of community he found through athletics inspired him to pursue football at the collegiate level, despite facing a potentially career-ending injury while in high school.

Reflecting on that experience, Trent shared, “I did not know if I would get to play football again or at the same level again. Instead of getting overwhelmed by the big picture, I just took things one day at a time. Thankfully, I made a full recovery and had plenty of time to prepare for a really good senior year.” His commitment and perspective paid off. Not only did he return to the field, but he also went on to play college football, starting and scoring a touchdown in his first collegiate game.

“Instead of getting overwhelmed by the big picture, I just took things one day at a time.”

In addition to injuries, Trent faced other challenges throughout his athletic career. He explained that he sometimes struggled with confidence, burnout, and tying too much of his identity to athletic performance. Despite these difficulties, he continued pursuing sport because of his love for the environment, camaraderie, and sense of belonging it provided. Those experiences ultimately helped shape the perspective he carries with him today.

Trent’s experiences as an athlete shaped the perspective he carries with him today in his new role as a business owner and sports agent.

Although he has been retired from competition for more than six years, Trent remains deeply connected to the sports world. He founded and now runs All Around Athletes, a business that represents international basketball players and operates out of both Los Angeles and Rome. When asked what drew him to the international basketball sector, Trent reflected on the impact of his study abroad opportunities. Those experiences broadened his perspective and helped him recognize a gap in specialized representation for American players competing in international leagues.

In both his personal and professional life, Trent values empathy, reliability, and integrity. As an agent, he believes meaningful relationships are built on trust, consistency, and genuine care for the people he works with. His own experiences as an athlete allow him to better understand the challenges, pressures, and opportunities his clients face throughout their careers. By approaching his work with authenticity and a people-first mindset, Trent strives to support athletes not only as professionals, but also as individuals navigating life both on and off the court.

The transition from student-athlete to business owner was not an easy one. Like many former athletes, Trent found himself navigating questions about identity, confidence, and how his athletic experiences would translate into a professional career. During this period, Athletes' Soul became a valuable resource, helping him reframe his mindset and gain a deeper understanding of himself and his potential for success beyond sport. Through the support and guidance he received from Athletes’ Soul’s group coaching and one-on-one mentorship programs, Trent began to recognize that many of the skills that helped him succeed as an athlete could also serve as strengths in his professional life.  

During this time, he identified several limiting beliefs—false or negative beliefs that can prevent individuals from reaching their full potential. Once he recognized these patterns, he was able to challenge them and reframe the way he viewed himself. Rather than seeing aspects of his athletic background as limitations, Trent began recognizing them as strengths.

He has moved away from self-doubt and toward a greater self-assurance in what he could offer as a professional and business owner. This shift helped strengthen his confidence as a professional while also providing greater clarity around his goals and career path. 

Through mentorship, he was also able to process his athletic transition more productively, allowing him to view it as a natural progression rather than a loss. Instead of placing restrictions on himself, he began approaching opportunities with a more exploratory mindset and a willingness to embrace new challenges. Reflecting on his journey, Trent shared, “I am really enjoying my new sport journey and identity, but I notice the same mental challenges as a sport manager as I did as an athlete, but feel more prepared to take them on.”

“I am really enjoying my new sport journey and identity, but I notice the same mental challenges as a sport manager as I did as an athlete, but I feel more prepared to take them on.”

Today, Trent is energized by the opportunities ahead and continues to invest in building meaningful relationships throughout his industry. He actively seeks opportunities to connect, learn, and grow while expanding his business and supporting athletes across the globe. To other athletes navigating the transition from student-athlete to professional, Trent encourages them to view this period not as something to fear, but as a source of freedom and possibility. He also advises athletes to identify the aspects of sport they enjoy most outside of competition—whether that is social connection, teamwork, structure, or purpose—and intentionally seek those same elements in their next chapter.

Trent's journey demonstrates that athletic retirement does not mean leaving behind the qualities that made someone successful in sport. The resilience, discipline, adaptability, and relationship-building skills developed through athletics can become powerful assets in a new career and identity.

As he continues to grow All Around Athletes, Trent remains committed to helping others succeed while embracing his own evolving journey. His story serves as a reminder that while an athletic career may come to an end, the lessons learned through sport can continue creating opportunities for years to come.