Is Your Child Interested In Pursuing A Career In Sports? Here Is All You Need to Know

Confucius once said, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." One field where your passion can be turned into a lifelong career is sports. Whether your child loves playing on the field, keeping a track of matches and high scores, or decorating their room with life-size posters of sporting legends, you can turn their drive into a lucrative career.

In this day and age, a career in sports in India is not limited to becoming an athlete or a sportsperson. Your child could have a successful career contributing to a specific sport in various ways. From being a sports manager to a sports writer, or even a sports psychologist, there are various sports career options and job opportunities available in the sports industry. However, there are some qualities your child needs to have to be successful in the field of sports.

Attributes your child should have for a career in sports

• Be willing to listen: In this field, your child will have to interact with many people daily. Sportspersons and athletes often have all their dreams and hopes pinned on one game or an event at times. So, they must be willing to listen patiently and be flexible in their approach. After all, sports are all about teamwork, so your child will need to be observant and have good listening skills while dealing with people.
• Be ready to work hard: A job in sports often means long hours and being able to work under a tight deadline. While the athlete on the field plays the game, the team behind them plays an important role in making sure they win. This, at times, requires a lot of hard work and the ability to work long hours. Your child should have the aptitude for that.
• Be positive: In the field of sports, losses and setbacks are as much part of the package as is winning the game. In this case, your child must know how to take setbacks and losses in their stride and move on from them quickly. These losses not only affect the sportsperson but also the team standing behind them as well. Learning how to look at the silver lining in a tough situation is essential to having a successful career in sports.
• Be cautious of time: Time management is an important skill, whatever line of career you choose. But in sports, it's a skill that can make or break the game as well as the player. Whether it's delivering a product before the deadline or making sure the athlete has enough time to practice, always being aware of time and being on track is important for your child.
• Be passionate: It's crucial that your child is passionate about sports and takes a keen interest in what's going on around the world in this field. Whether it's working long hours, constant travel, or navigating tough deadlines and tricky situations, a passion for the game is what will make them carry on and succeed.

To help children better understand sports management careers and sports medicine careers, here are some important questions answered by experts in career counseling:

1. Does my child require a professional qualification or degree in sports to build a career in sports?

If your child wants to play the sport, they do not need a degree for it; they just have to be good at it. But if they want to be affiliated with the field without playing the actual sport, like a sports marketing manager, sports journalist, sports historian, sports medicine specialist, etc., then a professional degree is a must.

2. Is physical fitness a prerequisite to pursuing a sports career?

If your child wants to be a player, then yes; otherwise, no.

3. What are the different options that my child can explore in sports?

There are multiple careers your child can go for in the sports industry apart from being a player. Here are some of them:

• Sports and biology: Sports nutritionist, sports dietitian, sports medicine specialist, and so on.
• Sports and mathematics: Sports analyst, sports data scientist, and so on.
• Sports and language: Sports journalist, sports writer, sports blogger, and so on.
• Sports and psychology: Sports psychologist, sports psychotherapist, and so on.
• Sports and marketing: Sports marketing manager, sports event manager, and so on.
• Sports and history: Sports historian, sports curator, and so on.
• Sports and creativity: Sports photographer, sports designer, and so on.
• Sports and fashion: Sports apparel specialist, and so on.

4. Does my child have to get a license or certification?

Your child does not require a certificate for playing the game, but to apply for a job, they might need several certifications based on where they are headed.

5. Can my child apply for a sports scholarship if they want to pursue a career as an athlete or a sportsperson?

The Government of India provides scholarships for athletes, but they involve certain terms and conditions. For example, factors like the income of the family and the skills of the player are taken into consideration.

6. What are the premier institutes in India for sports education?

Some of the leading colleges that provide BBA/ BA in sports management are:

• National Academy of Sports Management, Mumbai
• George College, Kolkata
• Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal
• International Institute of Sports Management (IISM), Mumbai

Some of the universities that provide a BBA course in marketing, which will allow the student to do an MBA in sports management, are:

• Indian Institute of Management, Indore
• University of Delhi
• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
• St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
• Christ University, Bangalore
• Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, Pune
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi
• DY Patil College of Management

7. How can I instill the love of sports in my child from an early age?

Some children love to watch sports, and others like to play the game. First, we need to understand what our child prefers to do and then make a decision accordingly. Also, a child may not be interested in all sports, but have specific interests. So, the parents need to be aware of what they like. After they gauge the interest of their child in the field of sports, parents can encourage them to participate in various activities based on the game. You can enrol your child in a sports coaching institute, go for sporting events, and make sure they follow sports news to be abreast of all that's happening on the field. If you can, arrange for an interaction with a sports person or athlete, so they can get expert tips as well.

Interesting career options in sports

After your child completes their education, you can look at the following professional opportunities to make a break into the sports industry.

1. Sports agent

Sports agents look after the athlete's professional career and act as a bridge between the player and the outside world. They handle the athlete's legal contracts, finances, and even endorsement deals. For example, if a company wants to contact a sportsperson to endorse their product, they contact the agent and discuss the appointment, monetary aspects, and fix the shooting dates accordingly.

Expected salary: The remuneration of a sports agent depends on the athletes they work with and the years of experience they have in the industry. Salary can vary anywhere between Rs 25,000 and Rs 70,000 per month, approximately.

2. Sports information director

Sports information directors work closely with a sports team and various media outlets to bolster public relations through positive media coverage. To this end, they organise press conferences to allow the media access, document and publicise the team's accomplishments, and write press releases for them.

Expected salary: The salary of a sports information director starts from Rs 40,000 and can go up to Rs 70,000 per month. With experience, the candidate can expect a better pay package.

3. Sports marketing manager

Marketing is an important part of any business, and the same holds true for people in the world of sports. Marketing helps promote and sponsor sporting events. Besides this, sports marketing managers also help in building brand loyalty, wherein the positive associations with the team help in supporting the specific team and the event. They don't usually work directly with the athletes and are associated with sports companies.

Expected salary: The salary of a sports marketing manager varies between Rs 50,000 and Rs 80,000 per month, approximately.

4. Lecturer

With a degree in sports management, your child can become a lecturer and teach at sports colleges and universities. They will be responsible for teaching students about the principles and practices of sports management, its ethics and legalities, among other things.

Expected salary: The monthly pay scale of a lecturer is between Rs 15,000 and Rs 40,000 on average.

5. Sports event manager

A degree in sports management also allows your child to be a part of the event planning team. The responsibilities of sports event managers include identifying the target audience and the brands to associate with. They also plan the event venue and oversee its maintenance, staff, logistics, and other technical factors to ensure the smooth conduct of a match or an event.

Expected salary: The average salary of a sports event manager is around Rs 40,000 per month. The package increases with experience in the field.

Sports as a career offer a wonderful combination of fun and growth simultaneously. If your child is passionate about sports, they can either become a player or a part of the support and management team. But to achieve their goal, they would need your support and encouragement.