In professional sports, you have to have your head in the game one hundred percent of the time. Every moment of playtime is competitive, and your opponents are always working to bring you down. So, upon exiting the sports world, a logical next step is politics.

For example, take the honorable Alan C. Page, who played as a defensive tackle for the Vikings in the 1960s and 70s. After becoming a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, he decided to become an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. While he was in his final years with the Vikings, he was also attending the University of Minnesota Law School, and received a Juris Doctor the year he retired from pro football.

Another athlete and native Minnesotan that traveled down the political path is the pro wrestler Jesse Ventura. Born with the name James George Janos, Ventura joined the Navy after high school and became a member of an underwater demolition team. After leaving the Navy six years later, Ventura joined the WWF, and was inducted into the WWE hall of fame at the end of his career. Ventura entered politics when he ran for mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, winning the position and defeating the previous mayor, who had held office for 25 years. In 1998, Ventura ran for governor of Minnesota, narrowly defeating his opponents. Interestingly, Ventura actually belonged to the Reform Party, separate from democrats and republicans. He held the highest position of anyone in his party ever, and is now more sided with the Independent Party of Minnesota.

And last but not least, what list of athletes turned politicians could be complete without Arnold Schwarzenegger? While many don’t consider professional bodybuilding a sport, Schwarzenegger certainly files under the category “athletic.” He won several Mr. Olympia contests, as well as three Mr. Universe competitions. The republican was elected as the governor of California in 2003, and served two terms before he left office. He now is very supportive of efforts against global warming, and has been actively involved in helping with the special Olympics. This year, he endorsed presidential candidate John Kasich, giving him the support of many Terminator fans.