Are you passionate about sports? Looking for a career that will let you stay active and engaged in the world of athletics? You’re not just limited to being an athlete for a living – there are tons of jobs out there that can combine your love for sport with a fulfilling and stable profession.
Here are ten exciting jobs for sporty people just like you.
1. Personal Trainer
If you’ve ever been to the gym for the first time and needed a little guidance, you know the importance of a personal trainer. Whether they’re helping people who’re new to the gym figure out equipment and workout routines, or using their qualifications to boost the performance of professional athletes, personal trainers are highly respected and coveted.
As a personal trainer, you’ll help clients achieve their fitness goals by designing personalised workout plans and providing counsel on exercise techniques and nutrition. Personal trainers work in gyms, fitness centres, or even as independent consultants.
2. Sports Coach
Want to work with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo or Serena Williams? Always been the type to take on a leadership role, and enjoy supporting others? You could have the makings of a perfect sports coach. Coaches work with teams or individual athletes to develop their skills, strategy, and performance in their chosen sport.
Coaches often have backgrounds as athletes themselves and typically start by coaching at the youth or amateur level before moving up to higher levels of competition.
3. Physical Education Teacher
We all know of that one awesome P.E. teacher at school – they give us a lesson to look forward to, make sure we’re getting active, and support all our physical education needs. If you want to be that inspiring individual for someone else, you could be perfect as a physical education teacher.
As a P.E. teacher, you’ll motivate students to stay active and teach them about the importance of physical fitness. P.E. teachers work in schools, organising and leading sports and fitness activities.
4. Athletic Trainer
Are you someone who’s into science, but also sports? Maybe you’re a Guardian and get your kicks from helping others maintain their health and wellbeing. If this is the case, you might like to consider a career as an athletic trainer.
Athletic trainers work with athletes to prevent, diagnose, and treat sports-related injuries. They often work for sports teams, schools, or healthcare facilities, providing immediate care and developing rehabilitation programs.
To become an athletic trainer, you’ll need a degree in athletic training and certification. Then, you’ll be able to put your highly specified skills to use.
5. Sports Nutritionist
If you’re into sports, you probably already know that nutrition plays a massive role in how well athletes perform. Depending on their field, athletes may need to maintain, gain, or lose weight, and as a sports nutritionist it would be your role to ensure they do this in a safe and healthy manner.
Sports nutritionists help athletes optimise their performance by designing nutrition plans tailored to their specific needs, and provide advice on diet, supplements, and hydration to ensure athletes are fuelling their bodies correctly.
A degree in nutrition or dietetics, along with specialised knowledge in sports nutrition, is typically required for this role.
6. Sports Journalist
Do you love reading about sports just as much as you like watching them? Want to engage with the best of the best and bring these athletes into the public eye? If you love writing and have a passion for athletics, you might like to consider a career as a sports journalist.
As a sports journalist, you’d cover sporting events, interview athletes, and write articles or create multimedia content for newspapers, magazines, websites, or broadcast media. Plus, you’d always be up to date on the latest in sporting news, or on the sidelines so you never miss a game.
7. Sports Event Manager
Are you the friend who’s always making stuff happen? Do you love attending games, and have great organisation skills? That’s all in the making of a sports event manager.
Sports event managers organise and oversee sporting events, from local tournaments to international competitions. They handle logistics, marketing, sponsorships, and ensure that events run smoothly. When you’re watching an awesome sporting event, or even the Olympics, know that sports event managers have a major hand in making it possible.
A degree in sports management or event planning can help you get started in this field, along with experience in organising events of any kind.
8. Sports Psychologist
Interested in psychology, but don’t want to step away from the world of sport? Sport psychology combines the two in a way that’s incredibly important for those on the field.
Sports psychologists work with athletes to improve their mental game, helping them manage stress, enhance focus, and overcome mental barriers. They play a crucial role in ensuring top athletes perform at their best, but the job can also extend to a variety of settings like helping children or working in clinical environments.
A degree in psychology with a focus on sports psychology, along with certification, is required for this career.
9. Fitness Instructor
Fitness instructors are a little different from personal trainers – instead of working one-on-one, they lead group exercise classes, such as aerobics, spinning, yoga, or Pilates. Their job is to create fun and engaging workouts that help participants stay motivated and reach their fitness goals.
If you’re outgoing, great in groups, and love fitness, you might be the perfect fit for this job.
10. Sports marketing specialist
Do you think you’d be good at promoting your favourite team, or making people want to go to a game? If so, sports marketing might be right up your alley.
Sports marketing specialists promote teams, events, and products. They create marketing campaigns, manage social media accounts, and work on sponsorship deals to increase visibility and engagement.
If you want to pursue this career, a degree in marketing or sports management would definitely be essential. In the meantime, you could spend your time thinking about what kind of ads or promotions catch your attention the most, or coming up with new ideas.
Want more career options?
Check out our blog 11 careers you may never have heard of. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or specific career advice, there’s lots more to explore on our website here.