The Other Careers in Sports

You may be one of those sports enthusiasts who fantasizes about earning a living on the playing field. Unfortunately, you're not a superstar.

However, the sports industry is a big business, and there are ways to make a living in sports without being a professional athlete.

Here are some of the other sports careers:

• Coaching. Coaching can be a difficult, but rewarding job. A variety of coaching opportunities exists, ranging from those of a volunteer, recreational nature, to the ranks of the full-salaried professional mentors.

A coach is first of all an educator. Today's coach is in the people business. He or she is trying to develop and get the most out of each player.

• Sports administration and management. Sports organizations are just another business. Though not identical in structure, sports-related positions are basically the same in their job description as corresponding positions anywhere else. The skills and training involved in sports finance, marketing or public relations are no different from any other business.

• Sports medicine. The fitness boom of the '80s had one overriding side effect: an outgrowth of activity-related injuries.

In one year alone, the U.S. government estimated that more than one million sports-related injuries occurred at the varsity level in high school and college sports.

These injuries are often out of the ordinary, everyday practices of most family physicians. Athletic injuries have created a need for specially trained physicians and therapists.

Other sports-related fields include: referees and umpires, grounds keepers, sporting goods suppliers, insurance agents, marketing consultants, advertising agents, equipment managers, photographers, sports writers and commentators

- By Greg J. Cylkowski

Taken from Youth 90 magazine