Competition is only the visible part and the ultimate expression of being an athlete or sportsman. They even spend more time each day practicing, trying to perfect or improve their performance often under the guidance of a trainer or coach. They watch video tapes of their past performance to look for areas that need improvement and also to find opponents weaknesses and how they can use it to their advantage. Athletes need to practice and train constantly and also regulate their diets to maintain a level of consistency and improve their strength and stamina to help prevent injury.
Sports Official Jobs
Sports or game officials, such as referees and umpires, officiate at sporting events by observing play and imposing penalties according to the set rules and regulations of the sports. Work as a sports official can at times be stressful since their decisions can greatly impact the outcome of a contest and also because most sports are fast paced and require a keen eye.
Coaches and trainers organize athletes and teach them fundamental skills in individual and team sports. They train players and sportsmen thru practice and exercises to refine their skills, performance, technique, and stamina. They also try to inspire players and sportsmen thru leadership and instill sportsmanship and teamwork in team sports. Coaches are also responsible for evaluating the competition and developing strategies for winning. Other related jobs which can also be performed by the coaches are scouting and a sports instructor.
Requirements for Jobs in Sports
Since jobs in sports are usually physically oriented and make little or no need of formal classroom education, except many variations of physical education, educational attainment is not very important, especially for athletes. What is required more is the overall knowledge of the sport in which they participate gained only through years of experience. These concepts are usually obtained at an elementary or secondary school level but can also be learned at sports camps or taking private lessons. Coaches, trainers, and other related jobs usually require bachelor’s degrees especially if they start coaching or officiating in schools. As for sports officials, what is required is extensive and accurate knowledge of the rules and regulations of the sport they are officiating in. They usually begin their careers as umpires or referees volunteering in local leagues and special community competitions but are required to undergo training specifically for a particular sport they want to officiate to qualify working at higher levels. Depending on the type of sport and locality individuals who have jobs in sports are required to have license or certification.
Job outlooks for jobs in sports is generally expected to grow especially at the lower or local levels through 2018 and employment is going to increase to about 23 percent, a lot faster than the overall average. As populations generally continue to grow so will the participants in organized competition as well as demand on sports for recreation and entertainment. In the no-playing jobs, persons with certification and formal training will have the best chances for success. As for the athletes, the chance of reaching the professional level is very narrow. As an example, only 1 in 5,000 high school level athletes ever get to the professional level in basketball and football. Recently in the 21st century many kinds of non-traditional sports and variants of traditional sports have sprung up which opens up new avenues for careers in sports.
The average annual salaries for employment in sports are influenced by level of competition, geographic location, and also by certification. For athletes the yearly average is around $45,000.00 at all levels. Sports officials are paid an average of $25,000.00 at all levels while coaches and trainers and others related earned $30,000.00 on average.
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