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.

A lot of confusion persists amongst the students aspiring to build their career in sports. Relevant awareness needs to be spread in the society on this topic, so that if a student opts sports as a professional career then he/she sets his goals on the right track. The importance of education in any field is world-known. Education synchronizes the efforts one puts in the respective field of work, along with making him/her technically, socially, and emotionally sound. Education is the utmost requirement to build a career in any field, may it be sports, because it imparts the basic knowledge of the area of interest to one’s brain. It kind of develops one’s thought process in the best possible way.

Keeping in mind the aforementioned points, it now becomes important to clear out a few things. Education in the sports field can be attained right after completing class 12th. So, let us have a glance at the sports courses that one can pursue after class 12th

1. Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed.)

This bachelor’s degree in sports requires 3-4 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 10000-70000. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of school physical education teacher, gym trainer, fitness trainer, yoga teacher.

2. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) – Nutrition & Dietetics

This bachelor’s degree in sports requires 3 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 2-5 Lakhs. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of sports nutritionists, nutrition trainers, food show hosts at various places like hospitals.

3. Bachelor of Physiotherapy 

This is a bachelor’s degree in sports that requires 4 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 1-5 lakhs  Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of Physiotherapists, consultants, researchers in sports teams, or hospitals.

4. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) – Physical Education

This is a bachelor’s degree in sports that requires 3 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 2-5 lakhs. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of school physical education teacher, coach, sports journalist, umpire/referee.

5. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) – Physiology

This is a bachelor’s degree in sports that requires 3 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 15000-50000. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of Physiotherapists, physiologists, healthcare administrators in different firms, teams, or hospitals.

6. Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) – Sports Management

This is a bachelor’s degree in sports that requires 3 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 15000-50000. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of team managers, officials on different boards of sports.

7. Bachelor of Sports Management (BSM)

This is a bachelor’s degree in sports that requires 3 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 20000-80000. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of sports instructor, management trainee, manager sales, marketing in different sports firms and teams.

8. Bachelor of Arts(B.A) – Physical Education

This is a bachelor’s degree in sports that requires 3 years for completion. The eligibility is class 12th pass. The average tuition fee for this course is Rs. 10000- 3 lakhs. Having acquired this degree, one can apply for the posts of sports instructors, school Physical Education teachers, sports coaches, gym trainers, a fitness trainer in different schools, colleges, and sports firms.

After gaining proper knowledge of various sports courses present in our country, the next step is finding the one that suits you the most. The things to be considered for this process are – what tuition fee can you afford, what is your basic alienation (science, commerce or arts), in which role would you like to see yourself- a player, administrator or coach. These are the factors one should keep in mind while opting for any of the sports courses. And the perception that to become a player you don’t need any education is absolutely wrong. Though there is no compulsion for it, yet it is advised to gain some education before you start your sports career.

Sports have always been considered as a part-time activity. People accept it as a passion or hobby, but not as a full-time career. But, perceptions are changing rapidly in this matter. The spread of awareness regarding this career has motivated many people to take sports disciplines as a career. This has caused the emergence of many sports management firms and substantially increased job prospects in this field.

Before discussing the different career options in sports, let’s have a look at some prerequisites

Basic needs to opt Sports as a career

1. Determination

This is the utmost required trait a person should possess before going into sports. Many times, to achieve success in sports, there come delays. What you need to have a sheer will, patience, and confidence upon your skills to sustain in this field.

2. Basic knowledge of Sports

This is also of prime importance, as if you don’t know what you are actually working for, there is no possible way you can succeed in it. Having the basic knowledge of technical and social skills about the particular sport which you are opting for is considered to be good.

Career options in Sports

1. Sportsperson

This is undoubtedly the most decorated career option in sports. Every Sportsperson receives a handsome salary and incentives. Becoming one doesn’t require academic experience, but is advised to have some. Top-level sports persons also endorsed different brands which increase their pay scale exponentially. But remember, this is a highly competitive field, so you need to do all the hard work in the sports world along with your top-notch skills.

2. Umpires/Referee

An umpire or the referee is the one who regulates and executes the rules of the game while the match is being played. This position is mostly acquired by the retired players but this doesn’t necessarily imply. What is important in this field is your proper education in the sporting field with prior experience. Degrees like Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed) and Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed) play role in this. This is a good career option if you consider payscale and respect.

3. Coaches and Team Managers

Coaches are the backbone of any team or player. They impart the technical, physical, and psychological skills to players required to play the game smoothly. They are the real Masterminds behind the game being played. A lot of experience is required to become a coach/ manager. The Team Manager also plans the schedule of the team along with the arrangements of travel, food, and lodging. People with tough mental strength are recommended for this post as the coach/manager has to bear a lot of pressure.

4. Sports Journalist

This is also a good career option considering the media limelight and money you will receive. Sports journalists interview the sportspersons/ coaches/managers and acquire the information about players, their practice methods, game techniques, mental and physical state. People with a common interest in sports and journalism are recommended for this job.

5. Dietician / Physiotherapist

They play an extremely important role in enhancing the performance of players. The dietician prepares a proper diet for the players having a balanced amount of carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. They prepare diet charts for the pre, during, and the post-playing times.

You might have seen a player groaning in pain during playing. Here is when the Physiotherapist comes into play. The Physiotherapist relieves the player from the hamstring pull or ankle sprain like injuries. Moreover, they make them do proper workouts and warm-ups before and after the match to prevent sports injuries which can be extremely dangerous for a player’s career. To opt for any of the above careers, the person needs prior knowledge of medicine and must possess the apt degree for the same.

6. Sports Administration

By doing law and management/administration courses, you can pursue your career in sports administration. The sports administrator works on the official board which in turn decides the policies regarding the sports. Sports administrator has to make decisions regarding the appointment of coaches/ managers/physiotherapists for the team, scheduling of the team tours and set up camps for the betterment of players.

All in all, taking up sports as a career option seems like a good deal, provided your intent and will power should be rock solid even if you don’t receive success in a short span of time. This field is definitely like a rough sea, which can be sailed through only by a skilled sailor. If you want to excel over here, you really need to buckle up and work hard from the very beginning. And the result of the hard work always lay into sweet fruit.