CGC Oakgrove Ebook 3.0

Spor t

What kind of person do I need to be? If you’re interested in becoming a spor ts professional you’ll need to have exceptional talent and a high level of physical fitness. Commitment, discipline and dedication will be impor tant qualities for you to model and you will need to be able to cope with the demands a career in spor t can place upon you. However, you can use your enthusiasm for spor t in other sectors of the industry. You will need lots of enthusiasm for your discipline, excellent communication skills, the ability to motivate and inspire others, project management skills and a suppor tive approach. In other roles you may need excellent customer service skills, a strong practical ability, the capacity to interpret plans and drawings, and be willing to work outdoors in all types of weather. You will also need an awareness of health and safety issues. How do I get there? To work successfully as a spor ts professional you should star t your career by joining a club where you will receive instruction and training.You will need to begin your training when still very young so you can develop the required level of skill. Ideally you should attract the attention of a talent scout at an early age. Careers in sport science will require you to achieve a degree and possibly a postgraduate qualification. Other more traditional careers in sport may also require a degree or a Higher National Diploma. Elsewhere you will need to achieve a coaching qualification and if working with children have Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) clearance. Some job roles require no formal entry qualifications although you can improve your chances of success by attaining an award or a cer tificate at either Level 1 or Level 2. Apprenticeships offer an alternative progression route.

What skills will I learn? What goes on behind the scenes in sport is just as important as what take place in the event itself. As a result, there are a diverse range of subjects available for study. Exercise and health, coaching, spor ts development and management represent a number of options but you can also explore the science of technology, biomechanics, physiology, psychology or even the relationship between spor t and the media. You’ll develop a range of skills including the ability to conduct research, analyse data, apply critical thinking and solve problems. Spor t will also teach you about leadership, teamwork, discipline, risk taking and how to deal with failure. You could also gain a firm grounding in business skills exploring finance, corporate planning, human resources, marketing and legal matters.