Lessons from between the white lines for isolated data scientists

Many current and future data scientists will be "isolated"---working alone or in small teams within a larger organization. This isolation brings certain challenges as well as freedoms. Drawing on my considerable experience both working in the professional sports industry and teaching in academia, I discuss troubled waters likely to be encountered by newly-minted data scientists, and offer advice about how to navigate them. Neither the issues raised nor the advice given are particular to sports, and should be applicable to a wide range of knowledge domains.