A career in sports is ideal for those who are competitive in nature and who enjoy being athletic or who would love to work with athletes. You could be a fitness manager, a personal trainer, or be an athlete yourself.
Like any industry, there is a certain way to break into sports. Usually, you will have to decide which area you would like to work in, and then pursue a degree and work experience which can help land you your first entry level job.
Decide Which Niche You Would Like to Work in
As you likely already know, sports is very broad, so when thinking about pursuing a career in this sector, you’re going to need to pick a niche. This means narrowing it down by deciding on an area that you want to specialise in.
If you are active yourself, then you may wish to become an athlete. This, however, is no easy task, and usually, you have to be young when deciding you want to compete. If sports management is more appealing to you, though, there are many sports management careers available, from sports agent to sports manager, to brand management.
Get the Relevant Experience
Once you’ve successfully picked a career path or at least narrowed down your choices, you should look into getting the right experience. This is key as theory can be very different from practice and sometimes, you don’t know if you’ll truly enjoy a career in a specific area until you try it out first. On that note, see if you can volunteer or do an internship that will give you a chance to immerse yourself in the role or shadow someone who’s already in it. In terms of getting an internship, you can look to see if there are any vacancies or contact companies and let them know you’d be interested in doing one. While some are paid, others aren’t, so think about how you will cover transport and lunch. Alternatively, see if you can get an entry-level job in your desired area of specialisation.
Gain the Correct Qualifications
Before you enroll into university, you need to see what degree is best suited for you. If you wish to become a PE teacher, then you may need to earn a different degree to one that is needed for becoming a sports coach. Look at the facilities at the university you choose to study at and also research the teams. You may want to join a few sports teams, as this extracurricular activity will look great on your CV when applying for jobs.
Speak to the Professionals
If ever you’re unsure regarding the best steps to take when pursuing a career in sports, don’t hesitate to get the right advice from people who have been there and who have created a great career themselves. There are career counsellors that can talk your options through with you and give you the best advice regarding the fastest routes you can take. It also wouldn’t hurt to reach out to people who are already in your prospective roles and ask them questions about what path they took, the challenges they may have faced, and how they overcame them. What’s more, you could reach out to sports stars and ask for their advice. While they may not always reply, some may. You can send them a message through the post, over social media, or you could even try and speak to them at an event. However, if you are unable to get to them, do not push your luck.
Sometimes, that’s the best way to get in-depth knowledge as well as practical insight into your prospective career path.
Network
No matter what sector you choose to be in, networking is essential if you want to reach your greatest potential. You should, therefore, consider going to sports-related events whether it be conferences or seminars. Meet new people who are in various roles and try to make genuine connections and build long-term relationships as you never know how you could be of help to one another in the near future.
The sports industry is one that is lucrative and contributes positively to both the economy and the lives of people globally. Whether it’s the work of a physiotherapist who helps get injured players back in shape or that of an equipment manager, they’re all relevant roles. The key is to choose something that appeals to both your interests, career goals, and skillset. Hopefully, after reading this article, you have a lot more clarity regarding what direction to go in.
Are you hoping to build a career in sport? Share your experiences so far in the comments below.
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