Many of us dream of being sports stars when we are younger.
Whether it was scoring Super Bowl-winning touchdowns or hitting the home run that clinches the World Series, if you are a sports fan you have, at some point or another, wanted to be the player on the field.
The reality is, however, that only a tiny percentage ever makes it to a professional level.
But just because you may not have the talent to become a pro athlete, it doesn’t mean that you cannot still work in the industry that you love.
You may not see your name in the newspaper headlines or in the betting markets at BetOnline, but you can still play a major role. There are countless careers to be made in the sports industry.
So, if you are beginning to realize that those talent scouts and college recruiters may not end up knocking on your door after all, we thought we would profile some of the other job opportunities to be found in the sports industry.
These are careers where you can still, justifiably, consider yourself to be one of the team.
Team Coach
More often or not, a coach will have had some experience of playing sports themselves.
But these days there is far less stigma attached to an individual who comes into coaching without making it to the same level as those they are in charge of.
Knowledge of the game and how players can be developed is just as important.
With all sports becoming more tactical, there is a need for sporty people who can understand how to make game plans – and also convey the information to the players on the team.
If you think you would like to coach in the future you should be putting in the time with teams now and helping to develop and plan training sessions with established coaches to gain experience.
Sports Massage Therapist
This is what we meant earlier when we were talking about being part of the team.
There are countless examples of former pros who have gone into the conditioning area of the game after being forced to retire – and massage therapists can be some of the most important people in any sports organization.
This role can be carried out on a self-employed basis or as part of a team, depending on the size of the sports organization.
But if you have the ability to help players get through injuries and an interest in learning how to relieve pain, then this could be the job for you. Most positions will require some kind of official training.
Nutritionist
This is another sports role that has become more important in recent years. There was a time when sports athletes were almost well known for their wild lifestyles off of the field of play.
But now, each professional will have their own, individual, dietary requirements – and a nutritionist will help in designing those plans.
Because athletes have a very distinct exercise regime and high-activity lifestyle, there is a different kind of nutritional plan needed than for a regular member of the public.
Many pro teams will have a number of nutritionists working on the staff. But even smaller organizations can use experts in this area.
Sports Writer
It might not seem like a natural jump for a former athlete to trade their cleats for a laptop. But if you have a deep knowledge of sports and can string sentences together, a career in sports writing could be for you.
Newspapers might not be quite as universally read these days but there are thousands of websites devoted to teams across the world.
If you think that you have the skill set that would be ideal for a sports writing role, you should be writing as much as possible. T
his can mean as a cub reporter or even for your own website and social media platforms. Get your writing out there and make a name for yourself.
A major plus with this job is that if you get any good at it, you can expect free game tickets for life!
Data Analyst
When data – and data analysts – first came to our attention, it was such big news that they made a film starring Brad Pitt about it.
Now, every minor league team up will employ data analysts to pore over the statistics and numbers in an attempt to improve the players’ performance.
This has become such big business that there are degrees and other courses that can be taken to prove to sports organizations that you know what you are talking about.
With the sheer volume of data collected these days, an analyst is almost as important as the coach for a sports team.
Tips for Getting into the Sports Industry
As with any industry, making it in sports will take determination and perseverance. It is obviously a competitive and much-desired sector to be a part of, so you will need to show that you really want the job in order to succeed.
Many off-field roles are technical now, so you can also study for degrees and master’s degrees to prove your expertise.
But one of the most important tips for making it in the sports industry is just to get involved.
You could volunteer for a local team to start things off – and make sure that you are networking all the time to make more contacts for future opportunities.
Sports is not the easiest industry to get into but, if you have the desire to do well, there is a wide range of employment options to consider.