| One of the biggest emerging fields in which to pursue | | | | exercise and physiology will give you a heads up in |
| a career in is the combined field of sports, recreation | | | | many aspects of the fitness community; and may be |
| and fitness. Whereas some other careers and | | | | required for certain positions. Careers you could |
| markets are shrinking, this career path is continuing to | | | | expect to pursue with this background: personal |
| grow and expand to include more things, more | | | | trainer, team trainer or doctor, sports nutritionist, etc. |
| opportunities and brighter and better people. | | | | Here is a broad sampling of careers in sports, |
| To succeed in potential careers in sports, recreation | | | | recreation and fitness that you may consider pursuing |
| and fitness there are several different types of | | | | with any of the above degrees (or additional |
| degrees that somebody can use to their advantage. | | | | backgrounds, educations or interest bases): |
| While degrees in other areas can serve you well in | | | | 1. Sports agent: When many people think of a career |
| this field, these are some of the best bets when | | | | in sports the first thing they think about is being a |
| looking to pursue some aspect of a recreation or | | | | sports agent. This is an extremely tough field, which |
| sports career. While graduate school is usually not a | | | | is highly competitive and crowded. However, if you |
| prerequisite to get a job in these fields, it is an | | | | are successful as a sports agent you will find it to be |
| increasingly competitive area and therefore the more | | | | extremely lucrative as you make a percentage of |
| schooling you get the better prepared you will be to | | | | your clients' contracts. |
| get hired and be successful. | | | | 2. General manager/management of teams, leagues |
| Business Degrees (Bachelor's of Business or MBA) | | | | and sports businesses: Having a strong business |
| In more sports and recreation businesses, companies | | | | sense applied to sports and specific sports or |
| and organizations are not solely looking for people | | | | situations can lead to what many people consider a |
| with a sports background. So you don't have to be a | | | | dream job, being a general manager for a team. Of |
| former athlete or have a longstanding relationship in | | | | course it can also lead to managing events, stadiums, |
| sports, fitness or recreation to succeed. More and | | | | leagues, groups and departments. As these are top |
| more, sports and recreation businesses are looking | | | | level positions, you can expect to earn anywhere |
| for the smartest minds they can find; the people | | | | from $75,000 to million dollar yearly salaries. Of |
| with a very strong business background and sense. | | | | course, in smaller situations such as minor league |
| Therefore, a business degree can be highly beneficial | | | | teams that salary would be significantly lower. |
| in this field. Careers within the field these degrees can | | | | 3. Team doctor, sports trainer, or nutritionist: If you |
| lead you to: sports agent, general manager of a | | | | are a doctor or have a fitness background there is a |
| team, stadium or department, etc. | | | | wide range of opportunities available here; from |
| Sports Management Degrees | | | | training individual clients to entire teams, rehabbing |
| A sports management degree will give you some | | | | injured athletes or creating and implementing proper |
| business knowledge while having it applied directly to | | | | diets for them. Depending on your degree level and |
| the sports business world. You will learn about | | | | experience, you can make equal or greater money to |
| subjects such as sports marketing and apply business | | | | what a typical doctor would. |
| principles to expected real-world, sports or recreation | | | | 4. Sports marketing, sponsorship and public relations: |
| settings. These include sports teams, recreational | | | | While this isn't what first comes to mind for many |
| departments and of course much more. Careers that | | | | people, this is perhaps the largest field of potential |
| a sports management degree can help you obtain: | | | | careers and opportunities in recreation, sports and |
| anything in the world of sports business, from sports | | | | fitness. Athletes and teams need sponsorship and |
| marketing and public relations, to running recreational | | | | need to be marketed to the public. Additionally, some |
| groups or leagues, etc. | | | | products need to be marketed specifically to a |
| Exercise and Physiology Degrees | | | | sports audience. This creates lots of jobs in these |
| If you love sports and also love science, or merely | | | | fields and your income can grow as you sell more |
| have a passion for staying in shape this might be the | | | | sponsorship and market more clients successfully. |
| right path for you to take. A degree in line with | | | | |