The odds of the sports industry are not new and are well-known. Disparities in decisions and biases in the selection process do prevail at some places and levels. This leads to confusion amongst the people aspiring to join this industry. They can’t really take a firm decision on whether to join a full time sports industry, and if to join, then what should be the best way to start it. On what factors should the decisions be taken, what courses to enroll in, what skill sets to develop etc. are the burning questions in such people’s minds. Often in the lack of information and vision they tend to take wrong and inappropriate steps which results in the loss of time and other resources. So, here we discuss the ways and methods to start a career in the sports industry.

Pre-Requisites

•Determination and Perseverance

These are actually the most important traits in any field. The success is kind of directly proportional to the determination shown towards respective fields. Same goes with sports. The reason determination’s value being so high in sports is the uncertain nature of the industry. One may perform well in one season but fail to do the same in another. This is known as inconsistency of performance, and in turn becomes the reason for the delay in attaining success. And thus, determination and perseverance become utmost important to start a career in sports.

•Passion

This is the driving force which propels one to start a career in sports and henceforth sustain in it. Passion for the game transforms one’s success curve into an exponential one. As an example, all the successful sports persons are very passionate about their work and it is evident from their body language itself. 

Decisions to be taken before joining

•Role

This is the foremost question one should ask oneself before joining the industry. What role does he/she would like to see him/her performing in this very appealing industry? The answer to this question actually resolves much of the doubts, as after the role is decided, it becomes easy to think about what skill sets to develop and the courses to take. This is like a junction where many roads meet, each one taking you to different destinations. In the context of sports you may understand ‘role’ as, whether you want to become a player, coach/referee, manager, dietician, sports nutritionist, sports journalist, sports administrator, physiotherapist, psychiatrist, fitness trainer etc.

•Academics

Though this is not a necessary criteria for specifically becoming a player, it is definitely a compulsion if you want to pursue your career in the form of coach, psychiatrist, psychologist, sports teacher. Moreover, it is highly recommended to attain a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education even if you want to become a player. 

There are different courses available at undergraduate and postgraduate level according to  area of interest (read our article on sports courses after 12th). So, after you have decided what role or profession you want to pursue in the sports industry, enroll in a course synchronized with your interests and passions.

•Skill Set

This quality helps you in rising up at high levels in your field. In the era of competition, what matters the most is what unique thing do you bring with your personality to an employer. Having a good skill set will let you last for a very long time in your work. Whether you want to become a player, coach, manager, administrator, the common thing to succeed is how well skilled you are in your field. So, along with pursuing the course you have taken, if any, you should side-by-side work upon furnishing your technical, social, emotional and managerial skills that would help you in the long run.

•Basic knowledge of the Sport

At times people misinterpret things as ‘If  I want to become a manager, why do I need to know about the game’ or of what importance is the knowledge of game to a dietician or psychiatrist. This is completely a wrong perception. If you don’t know the basics of the sport you are working in, there’s no way you can do good for the team or player.

Having acquired all the knowledge related to how to start and work towards betterment in a sports industry, now what remains is making up your mind. When one makes up his mind to do a particular thing, all other important things like determination, perseverance, and patience follow subsequently. The crux of all the aforementioned points is, find your area of interest in sports, make up your mind to work in it sacrosanctly, then take up a course/degree according to your interest, buildup a great skill set and develop social and communication skill. During all these processes, be really determined and patient. This is all you need to start a career in the sports industry and excel in it.