Of course, being a celebrity isn’t all just red carpets and glamour. A lot of work has to be put into any production, performance, or role—whether that energy is put into stunts, extra takes, or endless marketing campaigns and interviews. These ten celebrities cut their teeth on the football field or on the rink—some of the names here may even surprise you.

If the referee ever called foul on him, he would throw his glasses across the floor in disgust. That’s very like the James Dean we know from the silver screen. He wasn’t just a maverick with a basketball—he was also a school baseball champion, too.

His performance on the field earned him a college scholarship at USC, but unfortunately, due to a severe back injury, he had to put the skin down and focus on his voice and on music (we think it worked out!).

We can’t imagine being pinned by Paul Blart, Mall Cop either, but at Ward Melville High School in Long Island in the 1980s, there was a good chance of it happening if you stepped into the ring. However, a back injury put this would-be face out of commission—and into the comedy scene. Lucky for us.

He may not have been born with his iconic mustache, but as he’s standing there on that field, it’s hard not to imagine otherwise. Later, when he began his studies at USC, he took the next logical step and joined the basketball team, the Trojans. Seems like everything he touches turns to gold!

As a point guard on her school basketball team, she managed to pass through the drudgery of study, shooting hoops until she graduated, becoming the quintessential 90s pop icon she became known for, winning fame only a few years later in 1999.

It may be hard imagining the Duchess of Cambridge cracking a ball around on the field, but back in her day, she was deadly serious about her game. She adored the sunshine, wide-open spaces, and hardy competition—not that she has much competition nowadays.

While he would ultimately go on to choose acting and the world of comedy, life on the ice was something he seriously considered for a long time. At college, he played for kicks in a small-time team at Denison University in Ohio.

Another one of Ferrell’s favorite sports at school was soccer. His time on the soccer pitch would have been helpful while he filmed 2005’s Kicking And Screaming, in which he played an overly-competitive kid’s soccer coach.

After his career hit the big time, one of the first things he spent his money on was a case of golf balls. But growing up, McConaughey assumed he would be expected to follow in the footsteps of his father—an avid football player. But upon learning about his son’s passion for golf, his father encouraged him, having taken one too many injuries on the football field himself.

Unfortunately (or fortunately for movie fans everywhere), Clooney stumbled on the first hurdle. His try-outs with the Reds didn’t go as planned—in fact, he didn’t even make it past the first round. It really goes to show that if one door closes, another—possibly with a star on it—might yet open.