7.2. Professional Sports

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How to pursue a career in professional sports

by Stephen Mark Richardson, September 24, 2008

Breaking into the sports profession is not an easy task. Just because you're good, this does not give you a free pass to a professional career. The fact of the matter is that in order to get there, you're going to need to put in lots of hard work, more than you may anticipate.

Some people feel that because they are good at a particular sport, this will provide them with an easy way of making money, not to mention becoming famous overnight. The harsh reality is that even if you are great, this doesn't automatically mean you will be the next Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Wayne Rooney, or Kelly Holmes.

There is so much more to sport than just participating in that sport itself. Whether it be Boxing, Basketball, Football, or Track and Field, the fact of the matter is that in order to pursue that sport, you will have to give it your all from day one, and more importantly you need a plan.

The following points discuss what is needed in order to pursue a career in professional sports. If you are determined to make it as a paid sports person, the following points will guide you to the top.

Sacrifices.

The first and most important factor to consider when following your dream of becoming the next big thing, is to remember that if you want to make it to the top, you need to make certain sacrifices. If you are to be at the top of your game, then you will need to be strict with yourself in relation to diet, training, and general living routine. You must eat, breathe, and sleep your craft, even if at the expense of missing out on other life pleasures such as going out until late, drinking, and smoking etc. The more sacrifices you make at the start of your sports career, the quicker you will make it to the top, and the less you will have to make later.

Training.

Whatever your sport is, you will need to give it your all during training. The general rule is the harder you work during training, the easier competing will become. If you adopt a casual approach to training, this will evidently show in your craft. In order to become the best that you can be, you have to train the hardest, push yourself, and never give up when it becomes too hard... and believe me it will!

Sponsorship.

Do your homework when not training, or competing, and find out if there are any potential sponsors that will sponsor you. You may even find a sponsor/ s that will provide you with a wage so that you can focus on training full-time. They will however expect results. Not only may you have to assist with advertising their company/brand, they will expect to see winning results. The best way to give these results is to train hard, and give it your all. The internet is a great resource for obtaining sponsorship information.

Get Known.

Get yourself in your local and regional newspapers. You'll be surprised how soon you're recognized simply by conducting your weekly shop. This is a great tool to use when seeking sponsorships. Not only can you advise sponsors of your aspirations and sporting results to date, you will have physical evidence to present to them. Keeping video footage of you competing will also prove to be a useful tool to provide sponsors with. Rather than give them hundreds of DVD's to watch, why not create a highlight reel of your best bits?

Pursue Amateur/Semi-Pro Ranks.

One of the best and quickest ways to get known, and pursue your professional career is to compete in the amateur ranks of your sport. The benefit of doing this will be that not only will this give you invaluable experience in your craft, but it will also give you a realistic indication of whether you could make it as a professional.

Although amateur and professional sports can majorly vary, by becoming known as a good amateur, you will already have the foundation, and support around you when it is finally time to turn professional. Furthermore, winning amateur titles will also be a major benefit for your future professional plans.

Even though pursuing a career as a professional sports person isn't easy, there are ways of making it easier, and increasing your chances of making it. You need to be serious about your plans and training, and on a final note, the most important thing that is needed is self-belief. There will be times when others doubt and discourage you, but as long as you don't doubt yourself, and follow these few steps, you will surely increase your chances of becoming a professional sports person.

Explain why the following is important to pursue a career in professional sports:

• sacrifices

• hard training

• sponsorship

What else is needed? Why?

Read the following article and complete the tasks below it.