Saumil Majmudar talks about all the possible career opportunities in sports for anyone who wants to make a career in this field
Sports and fitness is a rapidly expanding industry, offering many career opportunities. There are multiple career options in sports and playing professionally is only one of them. Apart from playing, there are a number of departments and specialisations within the domain of a particular sport in which one can establish their career. According to the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) Skill Gap report on sports, there is huge potential for the growth of the sector in India. Below are a few alternate sports careers:
TEACHING PHYSICAl EDUCATION: Physical education is an important subject and a major part of holistic education in schools and colleges. In order to become a Physical Education teacher, one needs to complete a degree called BPEd (Bachelor of Physical Education). This one-year course can be done after graduation in any discipline. There are some institutions which offer a three or four-year BPEd programme that follow norms prescribed by National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) or University Grants Commission (UGC) or any other competent body.
SPORTS COACHING: Coaches give instructions about the rules of the games, planning and precision in movements, observe players and offer criticism and corrective methods. Trained coaches are in great demand. This job could be either at schools, clubs or at coaching academies for the state or national players. Players from State teams may also do a Diploma in Sports Coaching from the National Institute of Sports (NIS) at Patiala for becoming coaches.
FITNESS SECTOR: Career opportunities in this field are that of fitness instructor, personal trainer, fitness consultant, fitness specialist, physical therapy assistant, health and lifestyle coordinator. In order to be a fitness instructor, you need to complete a certification from NIS, or six-month or one-year diploma in fitness management from any recognised institution.
SPORTS MANAGEMENT: Sports management is about planning, supervision and organising activities related to sports at domestic and international levels. Various institutes in India have set up sports management courses with the aim of training individuals in different aspects of the field. All successful and well-known players have their own personal managers or agents who keep a track of their clients’ schedules, look after activities such as their career progression, business promotion and even media and public relations.
SPORTS JOURNAlISM: Those with good communication skills can take on sports commentary or sports journalism, working with television, newspapers or magazines that have a sports column or programme. Sports channels have commentators, presenters, producers and directors.
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY: Sports photographers are also in demand, particularly for major sports events. They cover sports for newspaper and magazines, television channels and websites. To become a sports photographer, one needs to study Mass Communication or a photography courses.
SPORTS MEDICINE AND PHYSIOTHERAPY: Adequate medical care is necessary for prevention and control of injuries. Sports physicians, orthopaedists, chiropractors and sports and fitness nutritionists are emerging careers in India. Sports physicians are trained for prevention, recognition, diagnosis and treatment of injuries and first aid. Chiropractors do not believe in using drugs or surgery. They treat the injured athlete with heat, water, diet and massage therapy. Orthopaedists treat injuries to the bones and muscles. Sports physiotherapy is an option for those interested in sports and medicine. It is the specialised branch of physiotherapy which deals with injuries and issues related to sportspersons. A degree in physiotherapy must be completed for this.
SPORTS PSYCHOlOGISTS: They study the psychological and mental factors that affect and are affected by participation and performance in sport, exercise and physical activity. It deals with improving performance by managing emotions and minimising the psychological effects of injury and poor performance. To become a sports psychologist, you need to do Master’s in Physical Education or MSc in Sports Psychology.
SPORTS NUTRITIONIST: The sports and fitness nutritionist knows food, understands the science of energy cycles, can accommodate the likes and dislikes of the athlete and propose the right diet. They are employed by professional players, private and public undertakings, health clubs etc. You need to complete a certificate or diploma in nutrition from a recognised institution or university in order to become a sports nutritionist. This certification or diploma can be done after graduation in any discipline.
SPORTS ENGINEERING & TECHNOlOGY: Sports engineering involves anything that entails a combination between technology and sports. So, the design of a running shoe, the traction, the interaction with the biomechanics of movement, how it helps minimise injury to the athlete etc would just be one small part of sports engineering. The aim is to help sport move forward with the help of different innovations. There are undergraduate courses in sports technology which give students a basic grounding of the science, engineering, design etc used in this industry.
With immense benefits of sports and large manpower requirement in the sports sector in India, promoting sports as a career is a positive idea for children from all walks of life. Today some of the smartest young minds are engaged in sports and sports related activities and it looks like the trend will continue to grow in the coming years.
The writer is co-founder and CEO, EduSports