And god knows when you have a degree in early childhood development you need something on your resume that stands out. It's unfortunate. But many, not all but many college athletes are steered into degrees that will not support a careerI work for a major tech company and over the years I have hired a large number of people and seen way, way too many resumes. Collegiate sports experience makes your resume stand out as opposed to someone with the same degree/experience you have and when you are looking at 100 similar resumes something that stands out is a big deal. It is a differentiator that can get you in the door (after that it is up to you).
Also the networking you can get from college sports can be hugely beneficial.