If sport is your passion, you might be wondering how you can make an entire career of it – the good news is there are many options and becoming a pro athlete is one!<\/p>\n
Over 90% of Australian adults are interested in sports, with 8.4 million adults and 3 million children participating in sports each year – it\u2019s fair to say it plays a significant role in our lives!<\/p>\n
Recreational activities form an essential part of the Australian lifestyle and culture \u2013 it\u2019s not just about team sports. Swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking \u2013 these are all big sub-sectors in the industry with job roles and career paths to go with them.<\/p>\n
So, what exactly does it take to become a successful professional athlete? Let\u2019s find out!<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re into soccer, AFL, golf, gymnastics or swimming – professional athletes make a living by participating in top-tier sporting events and competitions. When they\u2019re not competing, they\u2019re training and being coached to be the best at their respective sport.<\/p>\n
Many people wonder how can being an athlete be a full-time career – how do they get paid?<\/p>\n
Professional athletes draw an income in a few different ways:<\/p>\n
Becoming a professional athlete can be a long road requiring a lot of commitment, dedication, motivation and resilience. Most athletes compete as unpaid amateurs as they work their way up in skill and proficiency in their chosen sport until they can command payment as a professional.<\/p>\n
The types of activities you\u2019ll be involved in will depend on the kind of sport you do, but some key things form a part of most athletes’ days.<\/p>\n
This might include:<\/p>\n
Depending on what stage of your career as a professional athlete, you could do additional activities such as becoming a brand ambassador, working with local government and not-for-profits to promote sport for health, offering to coach new athletes, and becoming a spokesperson for your profession.<\/p>\n
Again, a bit of variety here will depend on the type of athlete you want to be.<\/p>\n
For example, if you want to play team sports, you\u2019ll need exceptional team skills, communication and resilience to handle things together when you lose.<\/p>\n
There are a few other core skills and attributes that are important for all professional athletes:<\/p>\n
You can work as a professional athlete without formal qualifications. The essential steps to making it as a professional athlete include:<\/p>\n
Some states have specialist sports high schools, where you\u2019ll have the opportunity to combine training for your sport with traditional school subjects, so you can gain your education without feeling as though you have to compromise your passion.<\/p>\n
Athletes also often study courses in sports-related areas such as sports science, coaching or nutrition studies. While this isn\u2019t essential to become a professional athlete, it will help with future employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
Depending on your role, there are plenty of opportunities to take your career global. From coaching and umpiring to playing on teams or managing sporting events \u2013 these roles are typically in demand, with skilled professionals able to take their expertise anywhere they want.<\/p>\n
Becoming a professional athlete can be highly competitive. Many will commit to their sport from a young age, training tirelessly to become the best and entering competitions to earn a reputation and name for themselves.<\/p>\n
For those who don\u2019t quite make it to professional levels, it doesn\u2019t mean there aren\u2019t other hugely rewarding opportunities to get stuck into.<\/p>\n
Entry into the sector is as varied as the available roles, so no matter what academic pathway you choose, there\u2019ll be an opportunity to start with a career in sports.<\/p>\n
Want to learn more? Head over to our dedicated Sports and Recreation Industry Profile now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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