Six sports and nutrition career options to consider in 2022
One of the many ways a child can develop strong physical and mental toughness is participating in sports. It is a well-known fact that children who compete in sports do well in academics and daily life.
One of the essential lessons we learn in sports is distinguishing between winning and striving for excellence. While most children enjoy playing sports as they grow up, it teaches more than just athletic skills.
Interacting with others, being a part of a team offers a valuable experience that helps later in different walks of life.
We often fail; but, learning that failure is not the end is key to moving forward with strength, resilience, and patience – valuable lessons we learn from sports.
One way to achieve success is staying motivated, which is likely to be bolstered during difficult situations. Sports teaches the value of discipline by pushing hard.
With so many benefits from empowering yourself to shape the mind and body, it is no surprise that many people consider choosing sports as a professional career.
However, contrary to popular belief, pursuing a career in sports doesn’t mean you need to have excellent athletic skills.
The sports industry is vast, and anyone can pursue a career in it regardless of their abilities.
Whether you want to become a player or choose a slightly different pathway while still working in the industry, here are some options for you.
- Sports Administration
With a Master’s Degree in Sport Administration, you can ensure the smooth running of a sports organization. You will also learn about organizing events, dealing with supply chain management, or running sports facilities.
The level of work will depend on your position in an organization, ranging from managing budgets to routine administration.
As a sports administrator, some responsibilities include organizing training sessions, conferences, ensuring well-managed administrative systems, and solving political or ethical issues like conflict of interests between two parties.
Additionally, a degree in sports administration opens doors to different job opportunities within the industry.
These options include fitness trainers, team marketing directors, athletic department supervisors, or team managers.
- Athletic Director
An athletic director oversees all the aspects of the athletic program, such as hiring coaches, scheduling, and facility management.
If you enjoy sports and prefer things to be organized, then a career as an athletic director is the right choice.
A team only succeeds if the athletes reach their highest potential, and as an athletic director, you can help both the team and its players reach their maximum potential.
Additionally, the responsibilities of an athletic director range from discussing the postseason play with league officials, coordinating with coaches about the schedule of games, preparing teams’ budgets, and filing reports on teams’ progress and shortcomings.
You could either have a bachelor’s degree with experience in athletic administration or three to five years of administrative experience with a master’s degree.
To become a competent athletic director, you should have strong leadership, management, and organizational skills.
- Sports Physical Therapist
Sports physiotherapists work in various settings, from private practice to clinic work. Their role is primarily concerned with training athletes, traveling with the team, and working with other medical professionals to ensure the safety of athletes on and off the field.
Sports physiotherapists work to contribute to injury surveillance programs or injury prevention.
An athlete requires physical fitness to perform various sports-related activities efficiently; however, there is always a risk of injury.
As a sports physical therapist, you can play a vital role in helping athletes recover from injuries through specialized training regimens.
Some aggressive sports such as rugby and football require immediate pain relief for players. In such circumstances, a sports physiotherapist relieves pain by targeting the source before the player is taken for additional tests.
- Athletic Trainer
Athlete trainers help athletes perform to their max in different sports such as basketball, football, or hockey.
They are highly qualified, multi-skilled professionals who provide treatment in collaboration with a physician within rules and regulations.
As part of the healthcare professional team, athletic trainers are also responsible for wellness promotions, emergency care, and injury prevention.
A master’s degree with a license is required to become a professional athlete trainer. Additionally, if you further want to progress in your career, you can get additional training and experience to become a head athletic trainer.
- Sports Marketing Manager
Regardless of sports, fans are always essential to any successful sports franchise. As a marketing manager, you can strengthen the bond between the fans and the team through television, magazine, and social media.
Likely, people will only remember a team for some time, so sports marketing managers develop marketing campaigns to engage fans and attract business sponsors.
Your role as a marketing manager would include optimizing website content, running televised advertisements, and working on public relations.
Staying updated on the current trends as a sports marketing manager would help attract potential sponsors and partners.
A bachelor’s degree in advertising, public relations, or marketing is what you’ll need to get started if you plan to pursue a career in sports marketing.
For further exposure in the field, an internship will be valuable to help you understand the ins and outs of the profession.
Convincing research predicts tremendous career growth with a 10% increase in employment for marketing managers compared to other occupations.
- Sports Physician
A sports physician has training in the treatment and prevention of injuries. They provide care to team players or individuals who want to live a healthy lifestyle.
While many confuse sports physicians with orthopedic surgeons, there is a significant difference between the two.
A sports physician deals with non-surgical injuries, while the latter looks after injuries that require surgery.
Sports-related injuries are often non-surgical, and as a sports physician, you could guide patients to seek help further from physical therapists or, in extreme cases, from an orthopedic surgeon.
In addition to looking after athletes, you can also work with an individual who chooses to enroll in an exercise program or adopt a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re interested in exclusively working with an athlete, then a career as a team physician is the right fit for you.
Conclusion
Sports are an essential component of our lives, whether as physical activity or a full-time career.
It teaches us various skills from resilience to patience that help us in different stages of life. People are considering pursuing a career in sports because even during COVID-19, many sports associations worked to bring back live sports to normal, despite worldwide lockdowns.
Additionally, the sports industry is vast and has a lot to offer based on your preference. So, if you’re someone who either wants to become an athlete or work on the sidelines, there are multiple options and career growth opportunities.