• Work hours are often irregular; travel may be extensive.
• Very few athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers make it to professional rank; career-ending injuries are a constant danger for athletes.
• Job opportunities for coaches, sports instructors, and sports officials will be best in high school and other amateur sports.

Athletes and sports competitors compete in organized, officiated sports events to entertain spectators. When playing a game, athletes are required to understand the strategies of their game while obeying the rules and regulations of the sport. These events include both team sports—such as baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer—and individual sports—such as golf, tennis, and bowling. As the type of sport varies, so does the level of play, ranging from unpaid high school athletics to professional sports in which the best from around the world compete before national television audiences.

In addition to competing in athletic events, athletes spend many hours practicing skills and teamwork under the guidance of a coach or sports instructor. Most athletes spend hours in hard practices every day. They also spend additional hours viewing films, critiquing their own performances and techniques and scouting their opponents tendencies and weaknesses. Some athletes may also be advised by strength trainers in an effort to gain muscle and stamina, while also preventing injury. Competition at all levels is extremely intense and job security is always precarious. As a result, many athletes train year round to maintain excellent form, technique, and peak physical condition; very little downtime from the sport exists at the professional level. Athletes also must conform to regimented diets during the height of their sports season to supplement any physical training program. Many athletes push their bodies to the limit, so career-ending injury is always a risk. Even minor injuries to an athlete may be sufficient opportunity for another athlete to play, excel, and become a permanent replacement.

Coaches organize, instruct, and teach amateur and professional athletes in fundamentals of individual and team sports. In individual sports, instructors may often fill this role. Coaches train athletes for competition by holding practice sessions to perform drills and improve the athlete’s skills and conditioning. Using their expertise in the sport, coaches instruct the athlete on proper form and technique in beginning and later in advanced exercises attempting to maximize the players potential. Along with overseeing athletes as they refine their individual skills, coaches also are responsible for managing the team during both practice sessions and competitions. They may also select, store, issue, and inventory equipment, materials, and supplies. During competitions, for example, coaches substitutes players for optimum team chemistry and success. In addition, coaches direct team strategy and may call specific plays during competition to surprise or overpower the opponent. To choose the best plays, coaches evaluate or "scout" the opposing team prior to the competition, allowing them to determine game strategies and practice specific plays.

As coaches, advocating good sportsmanship, promoting a competitive spirit, tutoring fairness, and teaching teamwork are all important responsibilities. Many coaches in high schools are primarily teachers of academic subjects and supplement their income by coaching part-time. College coaches consider it a full-time discipline and may be away from home frequently as they travel to scout and recruit prospective players. Coaches sacrifice many hours of their free time throughout their careers, particularly full-time coaches at the professional level, whose seasons are much longer than those at the amateur level.

Sports instructors teach professional and nonprofessional athletes on an individual basis. They organize, instruct, train, and lead athletes of indoor and outdoor sports such as bowling, tennis, golf, and swimming. Because activities are as diverse as weight lifting, gymnastics, scuba diving, and may include self-defense training such as karate, instructors tend to specialize in one or a few types of activities. Like a coach, sports instructors may also hold daily practice sessions and be responsible for any needed equipment and supplies. Using their knowledge of their sport, physiology, and corrective techniques, they determine the type and level of difficulty of exercises, prescribe specific drills, and relentlessly correct individuals’ techniques. Some instructors also teach and demonstrate use of training apparatus, such as trampolines or weights, while correcting athlete’s weaknesses and enhancing their conditioning. Using their expertise in the sport, sports instructors evaluate the athlete and their opponents to devise a competitive game strategy.

Coaches and sports instructors sometimes differ in their approach to athletes because of the focus of their work. For example, while coaches manage the team during a game to optimize its chance for victory, sports instructors—such as those who work for professional tennis players—often are not permitted to instruct their athletes during competition. Sports instructors spend more of their time with athletes working one-on-one, allowing them to design customized training programs for each individual they train. Motivating athletes to play hard challenges most coaches and sports instructors but is vital for success. Many derive great satisfaction working with children or young adults, helping them to learn new physical and social skills, improving their physical condition, while also achieving success.

Umpires, referees, and other sports officials officiate competitive athletic and sporting events. They observe the play and detect infractions of rules and impose penalties established by the sports' regulations. Umpires, referees, and sports officials anticipate play and position themselves to best see the action, assess the situation, and determine any violations. Some sports officials, such as boxing referees, may work independently, while others such as umpires—the sports officials of baseball—work in groups. Regardless of the sport, the job is highly stressful because officials are often required to assess the play and make a decision in a matter of a split second and some competitors, coaches, and spectators are likely to disagree strenuously.

Professional scouts evaluate the skills of both amateur and professional athletes to determine talent and potential. As a sports intelligence agent, the scout’s primary duty is to seek out top athletic candidates for the team they represent, ultimately contributing to team success. At the professional level, scouts typically work for scouting organizations, or more often as freelance scouts. In locating new talent, scouts perform their work in secrecy so as to not tip off players that interest them to their opponents. At the college level, the head scout is often an assistant coach, although freelance scouts may aid colleges by providing reports about exceptional players to coaches. Scouts at this level seek talented high school athletes by reading newspapers, contacting high school coaches and alumni, attending high school games, and studying videotapes of prospects' performances.

Athletes, coaches, and sports officials who participate in competitions that are held outdoors may be exposed to all weather conditions of the season; those involved in events that are held indoors work in more climate-controlled comfort. Athletes, coaches, and some sports officials travel frequently to sporting events by either by bus or airplane. Scouts also travel extensively in locating talent, often by automobile.

For high school coach and sports instructor jobs, schools usually first look to hire existing teachers willing to take on the jobs part time. If no one suitable is found they hire someone from outside. Some entry-level positions for coaches or instructors only require experience derived as a participant in the sport or activity. Many coaches begin their careers as assistant coaches to gain the necessary knowledge and experience needed to become a head coach. Head coach jobs at larger schools that strive to compete at the highest levels of a sport require substantial experience as a head coach at another school or as an assistant coach. To reach the ranks of professional coaching, it usually takes years of coaching experience and a winning record in the lower ranks.

Public secondary school coaches and sports instructors at all levels usually must have a bachelor’s degree and meet State requirements for licensure as a teacher. (For information on teachers, including those specializing in physical education, see the section on teachers—preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary elsewhere in the Handbook.) Licensure may not be required for coach and sports instructor jobs in private schools. Degree programs specifically related to coaching include exercise and sports science, physiology, kinesiology, nutrition and fitness, physical education, and sports medicine.

For sports instructors, certification is highly desirable for those interested in becoming a tennis, golf, karate, or any other kind of instructor. Often one must be at least 18 years old and CPR certified. There are many certifying organizations specific to the various sports and their training requirements vary depending on their standards. Participation in a clinic, camp, or school usually is required for certification. Part-time workers and those in smaller facilities are less likely to need formal education or training.

Each sport has specific requirements for umpires, referees, and other sports officials. Referees, umpires, and other sports officials often begin their careers by volunteering for intramural, community, and recreational league competitions. For high school and college refereeing, candidates must be certified by an officiating school and get through a probationary period for evaluation. Some larger college conferences often require officials to have certification and other qualifications, such as residence in or near the conference boundaries along with previous experience that typically includes several years officiating high school, community college, or other college conference games.

Standards are even more stringent for officials in professional sports. For professional baseball umpire jobs, for example, a high school diploma or equivalent is usually sufficient, plus 20/20 vision and quick reflexes. To qualify for the professional ranks, however, prospective candidates must attend professional umpire training school. Currently, there are two schools whose curriculums have been approved by the Professional Baseball Umpires Corporation (PBUC) for training. Top graduates are then selected for further evaluation while officiating in a rookie minor league. Umpires then usually need 8 to 10 years of experience in various minor leagues before being considered for major league jobs.

Jobs as scouts require experience playing a sport at the college or professional level that enables them to spot young players who possess extraordinary athletic abilities and skills. Most beginning scout jobs are as part-time talent spotters in a particular area or region. Hard work and a record of success often lead to full-time jobs responsible for bigger territories. Some scouts advance to scouting director jobs or various administrative positions in sports.

Athletes, coaches, and sports officials must relate well to others and possess good communication and leadership skills. Coaches also must be resourceful and flexible to successfully instruct and motivate individuals or groups of athletes.

Opportunities will be best for coaches and instructors as employment increases about as fast as the average. A higher value is being placed upon physical fitness within our society with Americans of all ages engaging in more physical fitness activities, such as participating in amateur athletic competition, joining athletic clubs, and being encouraged to participate in physical education. Employment of coaches and instructors also will increase with expansion of school and college athletic programs and growing demand for private sports instruction. Employment growth within education will continue to be driven largely by local school boards. Population growth dictates the construction of additional schools, particularly in the expanding suburbs. However, funding for athletic programs is often one of the first areas to be cut when budgets become tight, but the popularity of team sports often enables shortfalls to be offset somewhat by assistance from booster clubs and parents. Persons seeking coach or instructor jobs who are qualified to teach academic subjects in addition to physical education are likely to have the best job prospects.

Competition for professional athlete jobs should continue to be intense. Employment will increase as new professional sports leagues are established and existing ones undergo expansion. Opportunities to make a living as a professional in individual sports such as golf, tennis, and others should grow as new tournaments are added and prize money distributed to participants grows. Most athlete’s professional careers last only several years due to debilitating injuries and age, so a large proportion of the athletes in these jobs are replaced every year, creating job opportunities. However, a far greater number of talented young men and women dream of becoming a sports superstar and will be competing for limited opportunities.

Opportunities should be favorable for persons seeking part-time umpire, referee, and other sports official jobs in high school level amateur sports, but competition is expected for higher paying jobs at the college level, and even greater competition for jobs in professional sports. Competition is expected to be keen for jobs as scouts, particularly for professional teams.

Median annual earnings of umpires and related workers were $18,540 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $14,310 and $28,110. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12,550, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $35,830.

Median annual earnings of coaches and scouts were $28,020 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $17,870 and $41,920. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $13,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $58,520. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest number of coaches and scouts in 2000 were as follows:

27-2021.00, 27-2022.00, 27-2023.00