Sports is a wide-ranging area with an equally diverse range of career opportunities, and your means of gaining work experience in sports will largely depend on what you want to do career-wise. For example, being a professional athlete will often require a great deal of physical fitness training and some degree of natural talent. Individuals may also provide guidance for a team via coaching or managing — positions that are often built on proven experience. In addition, individuals may approach sports from a medical or scientific standpoint, in which case schooling and education-based internships are a solid pursuit. Perhaps the most effective means of gaining some practical work experience in sports is seeking various assistant positions, either as a provider for the team or for athletic events.
Athletes have the most direct involvement in sporting events. Becoming a professional athlete will usually necessitate working your way upward through amateur ranks. In team sports, you should try out for high school teams, college teams, or independent organizations. Your ultimate success will largely relate to your level of skill. Athletic proficiency in a sport can perhaps best be achieved through diligent practice.
Coaching or other guidance work experience in sports opportunities may arise through volunteering with youth-focused organizations or via teaching involvement in a school. In many cases, sports owners look for individuals with a proven knowledge of the sport in question. Former athletes in the sport are thus often given high hiring priority. Volunteering is also useful in sports officiating and announcing pursuits, as individuals usually prove their worth and skill through on-the-job training at smaller events. In addition, attending relevant courses and camps can help individuals hone skills in any of these areas, as can joining regional organizations that may open up networking opportunities.
Sports medicine, sports psychology, fitness training, and similar scientific pursuits have become increasingly prominent in preparing athletes for competition as well. Any discipline that involves science and medicine typically necessitates a sound educational background, often at the masters or doctoral level. Many institutions offer degree programs specific to these different areas. An additional advantage rests in the internship opportunities that are often packaged with these educational pursuits. Relevant internships can provide you with direct work experience in sports by placing you in an actual sports setting, usually as an assistant to professionals that do your desired work every day.
Endeavors involving sports are typically large undertakings that require assistance at various levels. Teams, for example, need water replenishment, clean locker rooms, and equipment maintenance. Proper maintenance is also needed for the sporting venue itself. Further, individuals must run concession stands, sell tickets, and even provide sideline entertainment in the form of mascots. Any of these opportunities, even if they are volunteer and non-paying, can help you gain work experience in sports and prove your value as a contributor.