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Athletes and Sports Competitors

Also called Baseball Player, Golf Professional, Hockey Player, or Race Car Driver

What Athletes and Sports Competitors do

Athletes and Sports Competitors compete in athletic events.

Who tends to enjoy it

Hands-on

People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.

Leading

People who like persuading, selling, starting things, and taking charge.

Helping

People who like teaching, caring for, and working closely with people.

What you'd actually do

  • Assess performance following athletic competition, identifying strengths and weaknesses and making adjustments to improve future performance.
  • Maintain equipment used in a particular sport.
  • Attend scheduled practice or training sessions.
  • Maintain optimum physical fitness levels by training regularly, following nutrition plans, or consulting with health professionals.
  • Participate in athletic events or competitive sports, according to established rules and regulations.
  • Exercise or practice under the direction of athletic trainers or professional coaches to develop skills, improve physical condition, or prepare for competitions.
  • Receive instructions from coaches or other sports staff prior to events and discuss performance afterwards.
  • Represent teams or professional sports clubs, performing such activities as meeting with members of the media, making speeches, or participating in charity events.

A typical day involves

Face-to-face with people Part of a team Outdoors in all weather Standing Email

Skills that matter most

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Coordination
  • Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making

What you'll need to know

  • Administration and Management
  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Communications and Media

Where to study for this

College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.

  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education / Fitness 496 colleges

Related careers

Personal Care and Service

Amusement and Recreation Attendants

Perform a variety of attending duties at amusement or recreation facility. May schedule use of recreation facilities, maintain and provide equipment to participants of sporting events or recreational pursuits, or operate amusement concessions and rides.

Little to some preparation

Educational Instruction and Library

Self-Enrichment Teachers

Teach or instruct individuals or groups for the primary purpose of self-enrichment or recreation, rather than for an occupational objective, educational attainment, competition, or fitness.

Medium preparation

Educational Instruction and Library

Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.

Medium preparation

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 27-2021.00, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.