Yes, there are a lot of jobs in the sports industry. Such jobs offer countless opportunities to those who are truly passionate and invested in sports. Unfortunately, many people are only aware of the common jobs usually glorified by various forms of media. As such, people assume that the sports industry only belongs to a selected few.
In this article, we debunk this impression. That, more than anything else, the sports industry is just as lucrative and diverse as other opportunities out there. Also, there is surely something for the sports-loving populace. With hard work, perseverance, and grit, the sports industry will surely welcome them the way they choose to embrace it.
Advantages of being part of the sports industry
Let’s cut to the chase and get started. Many people who are interested in breaking into the sports industry are halted by several factors. Well, it could be the notion of limited opportunities. Unstable and unclear professional and financial stability could also be one of them.
Continue reading to see that the sports industry is a good avenue for people to flourish. Here are some of the reasons why:
Applied experience
Let’s say you are already working. However, you are so passionate about sports that yearning never fades away. Several times you desire to quit your job in sales and marketing to totally foray into the sports industry.
The thought of this is exciting yet petrifying at the same time. Then, you end up questioning if there’s something waiting for you in the industry when your experience is all about sales and marketing.
Do you know what’s good with this? You are not alone. Many sports industry hopefuls share the same sentiments. To set the record straight, no matter what your experience (even if it seems too distant from sports), you have a place in the sports industry. As long as you are willing to be trained, your current skill set can definitely coincide with the requirements of the job.
Access to advanced training, cutting edge equipment, and club memberships
If you are someone who lives and breathes physical fitness and sports, the sports industry is where you belong. Since you will be closely working and representing different facets of the industry, you are never far away from the best training, equipment, and memberships available.
Because of such affiliations, you can either use the sports and athletic facilities for free or with an unimaginable discounted rate. The advantages will be even more glaring especially after finding out that others will never have the same opportunity or may have to pay a huge sum for such perks. Bonus, you may even be trained by the top athletes, coaches, and physical trainers themselves.
Talented resource people are within arm’s reach
To piggyback on the bonus from the previous point, you are always in the midst of experts. Even better, you actually get to be one of the few who are granted access to even speak with them. Depending on your relationship with them, you can ask them for tips and other professional pieces of advice.
That unspeakable distinction
Others hang athletes’ posters on the wall while praying for that single chance to have their basketball or baseball bat signed by their idols. Some wait for hours just to see a glimpse of the star athlete they look up to. Familiar? Yes, because you were once like them.
But, not anymore. For crying out loud, you are even with them in the locker room talking about plans, schedules, endorsements, and whatnot. During sports red carpet events, you are often photographed because of being with these infamous figures all the time. Do you get the picture? Needs no explaining, right?
Jobs in the sports industry
Given the above mentioned advantages (or perks), here are just some of the jobs in the sports industry that you may want to explore. Depending on your skills and willingness to fulfill the job responsibilities, there’s surely one that best suits your qualifications and competencies. You can definitely build your career by getting into any of these:
Athletic Director
Background: The athletic director acts as the head of the entire athletic department of a certain college, university, or any educational institution. This person is responsible for the athletic department’s daily operations and functions.
However, the most critical task is being in charge of public relations. If you are someone who is passionate about leadership and being in control, this is one of the best jobs in the sports industry to consider.
Athletic Scout
Background: An athletic scout is responsible for evaluating the talents of athletes. They also sign these athletes to various teams. Count on scouts to be there at every practice and training session.
Scouts have very keen eyes on spotting up-and-coming talents. Remember, most big names in the sports industry came from being scouted. They owe a lot to their discoverers. This could also be you.
Athletic Trainer
Background: If you work in the healthcare industry (particularly in physical therapy), then you can foray into being an athletic trainer. It is one of the jobs in the sports industry that is supervised by physicians for the treatment of athletes with injury.
More importantly, they also design training programs for strength and conditioning. Such programs are also aimed to prevent any form of injuries while playing sports. A sports team won’t be as progressive without having athletic trainers on standby.
Kinesiologist
Background: Kinesiologists test muscles and make sure that it is utilized to its full potential for strength, flexibility, and improvement of function. They can determine the varying sources of stress in its structure (among many others). As they do, they provide rehabilitation to heal and get rid of such stress points.
Other jobs are available in the sports industry
- Sports Massage Therapist
- Sports Medical Assistant
- Sports Psychologist
- Sports Statistician
- Referee
- Personal Trainer
- Physical Therapist
- Materials Engineer
- Marketing Manager
- Social Media Manager
- Sports Anchor and Broadcaster
- Photographer
- Editor
- Writer
In conclusion
There are a lot of jobs in the sports industry for everyone. However, it all starts with a good education. If you wish to be part of the sports industry, invest in gaining extensive knowledge. Of course, this is possible through an educational system that specializes in sports and everything related to it. A good example of this is Richmond Institute.
