ERIC EJ974223: More than Play: Three Careers in Sports

2012·0.77 MB·English

by  ERIC

More than play:
Three careers in sports
2 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012
S
ports are more than fun and games;
they also provide work for many
people. Sports workers earn wages in
leagues across the nation.
At the professional level, some of these
workers earn lucrative salaries and contracts
worth millions of dollars. But most sports
workers make considerably less. Whether
they make a lot or a little, these workers often
do their jobs for the love of sport, not for the
paycheck.
Organized sports include a variety of
individual and team events, which require the
efforts of many workers in different occupa-
tions. For example, managers and administra-
tive staff run the business side of sports, such
as marketing and human resources. Grounds-
keepers and janitors maintain the playing
efi lds and facilities. And food vendors and
cooks feed the many spectators. closely with athletes; others, including sports
ofcfi ials, work with participants less directly.
Many people are particularly attracted
to the sports occupations that are closest to
Coaches
the action. This article highlights three such
A coach helps athletes to develop the physi-
occupations: coaches, athletic trainers, and
cal, technical, and strategic skills they need to
sports ofcfi ials. The first section provides an
play a sport. Coaches run practice and training
overview of each occupation, including what
sessions, develop strategies, analyze athletes’
workers do, how much they earn, and what
performances, and guide and encourage ath- Dennis Vilorio
qualicfi ations they need for an entry-level job.
letes. “Coaches put athletes in an environment
The second section explains how to prepare
to be successful both on and off the court,”
for these jobs—and what to expect if you get
says Anne Kordes, head volleyball coach of a
one. Sources for more information are listed at
college team in Louisville, Kentucky.
the end of the article.
Some athletes and teams employ mul-
tiple coaches, including head, assistant, and
Careers in sports
strength and conditioning coaches. Head
coaches oversee assistant coaches, plan strat-
Sports workers often enter these careers egy and drills, and guide players throughout
Dennis Vilorio
because they have an interest in a particu- the event. Assistant coaches specialize in
is an economist
lar sport. They may learn a sport at a young specicfi parts of the game, such as offense or
in the Office of
age and compete in recreational, amateur, or passing in a football game. Strength and con-
school leagues. Many continue participating ditioning coaches work with athletes to keep Occupational
into adulthood, either as amateurs or profes- them at peak physical condition. This work Statistics and
sionals. (See the box on page 7.) But some might include spending time at the gym lifting Employment
sports workers are enthusiasts who might not weights or doing cardiovascular and stretching Projections, BLS.
have actually played a sport. exercises. He is available at
Jobs for professional athletes are limited, Coaches work together to make the most [phone] or
and many people choose to put their sports of a team’s or player’s potential. Kordes, for vilorio.dennis@
knowledge to work in different ways. Some, example, reviews game video and then meets bls.gov.
such as coaches and athletic trainers, work with assistants to prepare for matches. “We
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 3
Coaches teach the
strategies of a sport
to prepare athletes for
competition.
come up with a strategy to neutralize the physical health of the athletes and modify
opponents’ strengths and maximize our own,” training exercises and practice drills to
she says. “My assistants then work with the accommodate those who have problems. “We
players to implement the strategy.” want our athletes to play hard on both defense
Coaches use their knowledge of a sport and offense,” says Kordes. “But we need to
to develop a training program, often adapting be aware of their physical limitations to avoid
their strategies to tfi different athletes’ learn- injuring them.”
ing styles. For example, some athletes might Dealing with athletes, the athletes’
learn better by doing, while others learn best parents, and fans can often be a source of
by watching video. “I need to first gfi ure out frustration for coaches. For example, a parent
the best way to teach athletes the skills they might push coaches to give more playing time
need to get better,” says Kordes, “so that to his or her child or voice unhappiness with
I’m in a better position to help and motivate a team’s performance. “You must be patient,”
them.” says Gehrke, “because sometimes you have to
Practices give coaches time to teach tech- deal with the parents almost as much as the
niques and skills they want athletes to master. kids.”
Teaching skills progressively, coaches start But for coaches, working with the ath-
with basic drills that gradually become more letes is often the most rewarding part of the
difcfi ult and lead to mastery of the skill. “We job. “It’s not all about trophies and honors,”
practice a lot of drills to improve technique Kordes says. “What makes me proud is men-
and conditioning,” says Eric Gehrke, head toring and caring for my kids.”
coach of a high school rowing program in Employment and wages. The U.S. Bureau
Alexandria, Virginia. of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects data on
Coaches follow established safety pro- coaches and scouts together. In May 2011,
cedures to protect the athletes. For example, there were 193,810 wage and salary coaches
Gehrke administers a swim test for every and scouts, according to BLS. They earned a
prospective team member. He also packs life median annual wage of $28,470. The lowest
jackets and checks weather conditions before earning 10 percent made $17,110 or less, and
allowing athletes to go out on the water. the highest earning 10 percent made $65,060
To help keep athletes healthy, coaches or more.
also coordinate with athletic trainers and Most coaches work in schools, including
strength and conditioning coaches. Together, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary.
the coaches and athletic trainers monitor the Coaches at the elementary, middle, and high
4 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012
school levels usually work part time and may coaches also need management and communi-
coach more than one sport. Some coaches cation skills to lead their staff. “You manage
work as teachers, which may require teach- a lot of people, from your assistants to your
ing certicfi ation. Coaches at the college and athletes,” says Kordes. “If you want to be
professional levels usually work full time as a successful, you have to communicate clearly
coach in one sport. to get everyone pulling together in the same
Qualifications. As a group, coaches gen- direction.”
erally do not need formal education to enter
Athletic trainers
the occupation. But they may need certicfi a-
tion, depending on the sport and the state in Athletic trainers keep athletes healthy before,
which they seek employment. during, and after competition. “We are always
Experience as an athlete may be enough on the lookout for potential injuries,” says
for coaches seeking employment in elemen- Charlie Thompson, head of athletic training
tary, middle, and high schools. It’s still no at a university in Princeton, New Jersey. “We
guarantee of employment, however. “The bet- want to deal with problems right away.”
ter your athletic credentials, the easier it is to Athletic trainers are available during
find a high school coaching job,” says Gehrke. athletes’ training, practices, and play. Their
Coaches at the college and professional levels priority is to prevent injuries. To accomplish
usually need at least a bachelor’s degree as this, they examine athletes, collect medical
well as experience in the sport. histories, and check for preexisting conditions.
Experience as an athlete also gives If an athlete is predisposed to certain injuries,
coaches extensive knowledge of the sport in the athletic trainer can try to limit the problem
which they coach. This experience helps them by taking precautions. For a sprinter with tight
develop strategies and drills with which to hamstrings, for example, an athletic trainer
train and develop the athletes. Coaches also might suggest special exercises and stretches
learn through observing how others coach. to help loosen those muscles before running.
“The more you learn from what other coaches Athletic trainers know which injuries
do,” says Gehrke, “the better you’ll be.” are common in specicfi sports, so they often
Coaches need interpersonal, decision- work with coaches to modify training regi-
making, and leadership skills to teach their mens based on an athlete’s condition. “We can
athletes and help them improve. And head prevent injuries by removing or minimizing
Athletic trainers are
available during sporting
events and practices
to evaluate and treat
injuries.
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 5
Athletic trainers help
athletes recover from
injuries.
specicfi drills or exercises on days the athletes athletic trainer would get the athlete to an
need a break,” says Thompson. After a hard urgent-care center or emergency room.
practice, for example, an athletic trainer would
For more serious injuries, athletic trainers
recommend that athletes avoid lower body
rely on an athlete’s physician to test, diagnose,
exercises that might tire out and injure their
and treat injuries. Athletic trainers cannot
legs.
prescribe medication, take x rays, or order
But the precautions athletic trainers take laboratory tests, for example. At the physi-
can’t always prevent an athlete’s injury. When cian’s discretion, however, athletic trainers
an injury occurs, athletic trainers evaluate may continue to treat minor injuries.
its type and severity by considering how the
Athletic trainers also help athletes recover
injury happened and by asking the athlete
from injuries. Rehabilitating major inju-
how he or she felt at the time of injury and
ries usually requires the help of a physical
how painful it feels during evaluation. They
therapist, but athletic trainers may continue
test the athlete’s range of motion and check
treatment when the athlete’s condition has
muscles and tendons for swelling and tender-
improved. And athletic trainers may need
ness.
help from physical therapists because of time
Depending on the results of the evalu- constraints. “It’s difcfi ult to rehabilitate every
ation, the athletic trainer chooses different injury, because we simply don’t have the
ways to treat the injury. General treatment time,” says Tricia Irvin, a high school ath-
includes the uses of first aid, ice to minimize letic trainer employed by a medical center in
swelling, antiseptics to disinfect cuts, and Granger, Indiana.
braces to protect an injured limb.
Athletic trainers design a program to
Specicfi treatments depend on the ath- help each athlete to recover from injury and
letic trainer’s evaluation of an athlete’s injury. to regain strength, balance, speed, efl xibility,
For example, if the athlete can put weight on or range of motion. Rehabilitation exercises
an injured leg and still walk, then icing and typically become progressively difcfi ult as
wrapping the injured area might be enough the athlete recuperates, such as increasing the
until the athlete sees a physician. If the athlete incline on a treadmill or the weight on bar-
can put weight on the leg but can’t walk, then bells. Once injured athletes have recovered
the athletic trainer can provide crutches. But completely, athletic trainers allow them to
if the athlete can’t put weight on the leg and compete again. “We want the athlete to return
feels a lot of pain, then the injury might be to playing the sport at full functional ability,”
more serious—such as a fracture—and the says Thompson.
6 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012
When not helping athletes, athletic train- Because of budget constraints, not every
ers may manage medical inventory, check team employs its own athletic trainer. Some-
the integrity of safety equipment, and track times, a single athletic trainer cares for two
competing teams or athletes. That’s not a
injuries and treatments.
problem, say athletic trainers, because their
Athletic trainers get to know their athletes
concern is to ensure the safety and health
well and help them develop as both athletes of all athletes. “We are not rivals, like the
and people. Athletes may turn to them for help schools,” says Irvin. “We are our own team.”
with problems at school or at home. “We are
Employment and wages. In May 2011,
almost like parents,” says Thompson. “We
there were 18,240 wage and salary athletic
listen to their problems and try to guide them trainers, according to BLS. They earned a
in the right direction.” Irvin agrees. “You need median annual wage of $42,400. The lowest
to be patient,” she says. earning 10 percent made $26,170 or less, and
Athletes play for fun—and, sometimes, pay
Athletes are crucial to the sports that employ Beach, California. It usually takes many years
coaches, athletic trainers, sports ofcfi ials, and of preparation to gain the ability and skills
related workers. After all, without athletes, required to compete at the highest levels.
there would be no athletic competitions.
Athletes must prepare for the physical
However, few competitors make a living
demands of their sport, and they practice in
as professional athletes. While many athletes
order to improve their own abilities. They
are unpaid, their dedication to their sport is
also focus on functional movements, such as
often similar to that of professionals. These
sprinting or jumping, to hone the technical
amateur athletes compete in recreational
and strategic demands of their sport during
sports or school leagues for personal enjoy-
competition. For example, Tran spends hours
ment—and the chance to eventually compete
practicing footwork, punching, and defensive
professionally. “Even when I’m not making
techniques so they become second nature.
a penny, I just love competing,” says David
“Boxing matches are a blur,” says Tran. “You
Tran, an amateur boxer from Germantown,
have to rely on your instincts and preparation.”
Maryland.
Athletes spend a lot of time training for For athletes, both professional and ama-
competition. “I wake up most mornings at teur, it’s the thrill of competition that makes
5:30 a.m., work out for an hour, and then their preparation worthwhile. “We practice
practice for 3 hours,” says Stevi Robinson, a and live for the game,” Robinson says. “The
professional volleyball player from Hermosa game is everything.”
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 7
the highest earning 10 percent made $65,970 Sports officials
or more.
Umpires, referees, and other sports ofcfi ials
Most athletic trainers work full time at
oversee an event’s rules, athletes, and coaches
postsecondary schools and medical facilities,
to ensure safe, fair, and neutral play. To keep
such as hospitals and medical ofcfi es. A few
competitions fair, sports ofcfi ials enforce the
athletic trainers work part time and are paid
rules, inspect equipment, start and stop play,
hourly. Some may work under contract.
track the contest’s time, and settle disputes.
Qualifications. To enter the occupation, They may also penalize reckless play or eject
athletic trainers usually need at least a bach- unruly players or coaches to keep competition
elor’s degree from an accredited athletic train- under control. “Our responsibility is to enforce
ing program. These programs teach students impartially and err on the side of safety,” says
what they need to know to become an athletic Barry Mano, a former sports ofcfi ial and now
trainer, from injury evaluation to rehabilita- president of the National Association of Sports
tion. For a position at the college or profes- Ofcfi ials in Union Grove, Wisconsin.
sional level, athletic trainers usually need While working, sports ofcfi ials place
work experience and a master’s degree. themselves in the best position to watch
Most states require that athletic trainers athletes. If they spot a violation of the rules
pass a national certicfi ation exam and register or need to make a decision that affects play,
for a state license. sports ofcfi ials rely on their experience and
Additional requirements include continu- judgment to make the right call. Some sports
ing education and yearly cardiopulmonary ofcfi ials also have the option to review video.
resuscitation (CPR) certicfi ation. Every 3 Sports ofcfi ials use tools to signal to ath-
years, athletic trainers must complete 70 letes, coaches, and spectators. These include
hours of continuing education to keep up with waving colored afl gs to indicate an infraction,
advances in the efi ld. Classes, seminars, and blowing a whistle to stop and start play, or
lectures help fulfill this requirement. firing blanks from a gun to start a race. Sports
Athletic trainers need to be detail oriented ofcfi ials also frequently use hand signals. For
to keep track of athletes’ injuries. They also example, a basketball ofcfi ial may raise three
need good communication and interpersonal fingers while the ball is airborne to signal to
skills so they can explain injuries and treat- scorers that a successful basket will be worth
ments to athletes and their families. three points.
Experience helps
sports officials make
the correct call.
8 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012
Depending on the sport, there may be
Sports officials signal
one or more ofcfi ials during play. Individual
infractions by using
sports, such as boxing, may need only a single
ofcfi ial. Team sports often have multiple tools, such as flags.
ofcfi ials, each of whom has different duties.
For example, in soccer, a main ofcfi ial blows
the whistle to start play and stop for infrac-
tions, two ofcfi ials on the sidelines determine
offside violations, and another ofcfi ial in the
press box keeps track of time.
Most sports ofcfi ials need to wear a uni-
form. They may also need to wear sport-spe-
cicfi equipment, such as shin guards, watches,
skates, or helmets. Sometimes, the equipment
and uniform is different for ofcfi ials in the
same sport but in different roles. For exam-
ple, in baseball and softball, the home plate
umpire wears a uniform, face mask, chest pad,
and shin guards—but the first base umpire
wears only the uniform.
Sports ofcfi ials attend seminars before,
during, and after a sport’s playing season to
refresh themselves on the rules, learn changes
to the rules, and network with other ofcfi ials
and league staff. Mano says that these semi- For sports ofcfi ials, being questioned
nars allow sports ofcfi ials to become better at about the calls they make is part of the job.
their work and help them move up the career And when fans air their displeasure at the
ladder. right call, ofcfi ials must be condfi ent that
Meetings before and after each game their judgment was fair. “You have to love the
help ofcfi ials review their calls, evaluate their ofcfi iating process more than the sport,” says
performances, and learn from mistakes. “It Mano. “You have to love it when they boo
takes practice and hard work to become a bet- you.”
ter ofcfi ial,” says Rob Livengood, a basketball Employment and wages. In May 2011,
ofcfi ial in Mount Airy, North Carolina. there were 15,630 wage and salary umpires,
The priority for sports ofcfi ials is to make referees, and other sports ofcfi ials sports
the right call, let the game ofl w, and intervene ofcfi ials, according to BLS. They earned a
only when necessary. “I want to be invisible,” median annual wage of $23,190. The lowest
says Livengood. “The focus should be on the earning 10 percent made $16,910 or less, and
game, the players, and the fans.” the highest earning 10 percent made $50,190
But ofcfi ials sometimes make mistakes. or more.
When they do—or when they make a cor- Most sports ofcfi ials work for leagues in
rect but controversial call—fans, athletes, and spectator sports, schools, and recreational
coaches may become critical. Experience, associations. Anecdotal evidence suggests
condfi ence, and humility help sports ofcfi ials that most sports ofcfi ials work part time under
cope with the pressure. “If you listen to the contract. Because many sports have playing
fans, you’ll think you’re the worst ofcfi ial on seasons, some ofcfi ials may work in multiple
the planet and need glasses,” says Livengood. sports.
“Unless you grow a thick skin, you’ll go home Qualifications. No formal education is
and cry.” required to become a sports ofcfi ial. However,
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 9
prospective sports ofcfi ials must pass an Kick off a career in sports
ofcfi iating test to become licensed with their
particular association. An association commit- Sports careers teach skills, such as discipline
tee evaluates sports ofcfi ials in scrimmages and accountability, that extend beyond the
and assigns them to games based on those playing efi ld. Many sports workers learn to
performances. work in teams and communicate well with
Ofcfi ials may need to be physically others. Sports careers also promote physical
tfi, depending on the sport. For example, a and mental tfiness. “It keeps me in shape,”
lacrosse ofcfi ial runs up and down the efi ld says Livengood, “and helps me think strategi-
numerous times per game, but a tennis ofcfi ial cally, too.”
stays in one place for the duration of the The best way to get started in a sports
match. Communication skills are also impor- career is by gaining experience at lower
tant, says Livengood: “You need to work as a levels of a sport and working your way up.
team with the other ofcfi ials and communicate For example, sports workers in recreational
clearly in a potentially hostile environment.” leagues can develop their skills under less
Advancing to more competitive leagues stress and with more job opportunities. They
requires experience. For example, an ofcfi ial can also learn from experienced workers by
must work many years at the high school level volunteering as assistants.
before being considered for jobs at the col- Sports-related jobs are usually available
lege level, where there are fewer games and at local schools and with amateur leagues and
tougher competition for available positions. recreational and athletic associations. Posi-
Through experience, ofcfi ials develop tions for volunteers and for part-time work
what Mano calls “game intelligence,” the abil- are often advertised in newspapers and on
ity to manage the competition and its players. school, organization, and association websites.
Experience also helps ofcfi ials gain the judg- Although these positions often pay little or
ment they need to make the right call—and nothing, they offer the opportunity to learn
the condfi ence to defend it. the basics of sports work.
Many sports workers
gain experience as
athletes or enthusiasts.
10 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2012
Workers can also gain experience by
networking through the many leagues avail-
able at the amateur and high school levels.
The sports community is small, so knowing
the right people—such as those who run the
leagues—eases the jobseeking process. Fam-
ily and friends who participate in a sport are
also valuable resources. “Good networking
produces good results,” says Gehrke.
Of course, the demands of a sports career
mean it’s not always fun in games. Many
sports practices and competitions are held out-
doors, including in extreme temperatures and
bad weather. Sports workers might need to be
outside for hours in those conditions.
Sports workers might also have irregu-
lar schedules, sometimes working 7 days a
week—including evenings, weekends, and
holidays—to accommodate sporting events.
And although some sports are played season-
ally, preparation continues year round. should visit the American Volleyball Coach-
Travel may be frequent, especially at more ing Association at www.avca.org.
competitive levels. That can strain personal For information about becoming a vol-
relationships. “I spend a lot of time away,” unteer coach in youth sports, an option for
says Mano. “It can be tough on family life.” coaches to gain experience and move into pay-
Despite the difcfi ulties, those working in ing positions, contact:
sports often say that the good outweighs the National Alliance for Youth Sports
bad. “It’s not easy work,” says Thompson, 2050 Vista Parkway
“but if you have the passion to keep you going, West Palm Beach, FL 33411
it might be right for you.” Toll free: 1 [phone]
[email protected]
For more information www.nays.org/coaches
For more information about becoming an
The Occupational Outlook Handbook athletic trainer, including career and educa-
(OOH) has detailed information about many tional resources, contact:
sports-related occupations, including the National Athletic Trainers’ Association
ones described in this article. These profiles 2952 Stemmons Freeway #200
have information about each occupation’s job Dallas, TX 75247
duties, employment, wages, usual qualicfi a- [phone]
tions, and more. The OOH is available online www.nata.org
at www.bls.gov/ooh. And for more information about becom-
There are many athletic and coaching ing a sports ofcfi ial, including guides for many
associations, each specializing in a particular popular sports and a list of athletic associa-
region, sport, or demographic. The national tions by state, contact:
associations for each sport are often the National Association of Sports Ofcfi ials
best sources of information for athletes and 2017 Lathrop Ave.
coaches, providing career resources, rules of Racine, WI 53405
the sport, and local contacts. For example, [phone]
jobseekers interested in volleyball coaching www.naso.org
Summer 2012 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 11