Sports don’t have to be just your passion. They can also lead you to a fulfilling career path. Here are some of the top jobs in Sports:
Professional Athlete
Description:
Okay, this is pretty obvious. If you can shoot, kick, run, or possess other incredible physical abilities, you can become a professional athlete. Not all athletes make it to the big leagues straight after college. Just look at Robbie Gould! He didn’t make the cut in 2005 but never forgot his dream. After taking several years off the field to work in construction, he made it back to the NFL at an open call and joined the Chicago Bears. He’s now playing for the 49ers and has set various records througout his career as a kicker.
Skills and Qualifications:
Not all athletes are born but most grow up with exposure to sports and stay physically active throughout their careers. If you are an althete, the best tip is to stay up to date to open calls, meet with talent agents, get involved with the sports community.
Sports Coach
Description:
Sports coaches help their clients reach maximum potential through verbal encouragement, evaluation of their performances, and constructive criticism. This ensures that feedback is balanced with positive vibes. Assessments of their clients’ strengths and weaknesses are used to determine areas for improvement. Using clear and concise language helps them communicate instructions, inspire morale, and self-confidence to encourage their participants to develop their knowledge and talents.
Skills and Qualifications:
You do not usually need a formal qualification if you’re coaching the neighborhood’s bitty soccer team, but if you want to get more serious, you will need some kind of certification that establishes you as a sport developmentalist, exercise guide, or a candidate for sports administration. Also, you could take up schooling for a bachelor’s degree in sport science.
Sports Event Manager
Description:
We are all familiar with the high levels of fun when attending a sports event. However, think of all the work that happens behind the scenes. Sports Event Managers, Planners and Coordinators take care of every single detail that goes into preparing a facility (or team) for the day. Sports event planners work on everything from club volleyball games to tryouts for the NFL. It is their job to make sure events go smoothly and without any hiccups, all while keeping attendants joyfully engaged.
Skills and Qualifications:
To be blunt, you need a natural drive to execute hiccup-less organizing. You need strong interpersonal skills and an ability to flourish under pressure. Leadership qualities and negotiation skills are super important too. You will probably not encounter any problems with qualifications when you are planning small, local events. Nonetheless, you’ll definitely need a degree under your belt when planning on taking on larger events. Relevant degrees include those centered around sports management or administration, marketing, PR or communications.You could even get your Master’s degree in sports management or a similar field, and then proceed to establish your own business.
Sports Medicine
Description:
You can get involved with sports medicine by becoming a medical doctor, physician’s assistant, nurse, occupational therapist, athletic trainer or physical therapist. Each field requires different amounts of training, training requirements and the scope of the practice. Overall, sports medicine is focused on helping sports players recover during times of injury, preventive measures of future injuries and improving their athletic performance. It is an amazing industry that allows you to utilize your skills in biological science, for example, and passion for sports.
Skills and Qualifications:
You will need some level of interest in the physiology of the human body, great interpersonal skills, fast decision-making abilities, and a desire to aid others in performing their best talents. Most of the positions in this field require some sort of degree. Some options are a bachelor’s in Exercise and Sports Science, and Science.
Fitness Instructor
Description:
If you love working out and using your phenomenal communication skills then I would highly recommend becoming a fitness instructor. Fitness instructors lead groups in exercise activities and classes focusing on strength training, cardio exercise, stretching, dance, yoga and Pilates. They work with people of all backgrounds, ages, and skill levels. More often than not they plan and choreograph their own classes, including choosing appropriate music and creating routines or sets of moves. They oversee clients’ performances during the exercises to ensure they are using the correct techniques that won’t injure them but continue to improve their fitness lifestyle. At times, they provide clients with information or resources on nutrition and dieting.
Skills and Qualifications:
You’ll definitely need great customer service talents, including relationship-building and tips on how to improve skills. Along with this, you’ll need a high state of physical fitness, the ability to inspire and motivate clients, and the ability to communicate effectively with people of all backgrounds. Formal education is usually required, even if it is just a certification to start out. If not a certification, you can always pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in fitness as well.