Professional Athletes

Career summary

#No alternate titles CJ

Professional athletes compete in events such as:

• Basketball
• Baseball
• Football
• Golf
• Tennis

There are professionals in many other sports as well. Ice hockey, soccer, auto racing, rodeo, track and field, and horse racing are a few.

Professional athletes spend most of their time preparing for competition. They practice the techniques of their sport and exercise to maintain their fitness to play. Some train full time, while others train and compete for just a portion of the year.

Many athletes have coaches or trainers who tell them which exercises to do each day. They also follow nutrition advice and see other health professionals for advice and care. They maintain any equipment used when training and competing.

Many professional athletes make public appearances. They attend fundraising events, parties, and sports clinics. At these events they speak to the public. They may demonstrate their sports skills or teach others at these events. They speak to the media, sometimes as part of a professional contract.

Many athletes work in addition to competing. Some athletes have jobs that are related to their sport. For instance, professional golfers may give lessons, manage golf courses, and sell golf equipment. Extremely successful athletes may appear in commercials in addition to competing.

Related careers

This career is part of the Hospitality and Tourism cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Agents and Business Managers
• Athletic Trainers
• Coaches and Scouts
• Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
• Golf Course Superintendents
• Life Guards and Ski Patrollers
• Recreation Workers
• Umpires and Referees

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to professional athletes.

• Exercise and practice to prepare and train for competitive events. Follow the guidance of athletic trainers or coaches.
• Participate in athletic events and competitive sports.
• Speak to groups involved in activities such as sports clinics and fundraisers.
• Maintain equipment used in a particular sport.
• May lead teams if captain.
• Follow nutrition plans and consult with health professionals.
• Monitor own performance and the performance of competitors.
• Represent self or team when speaking to the media.
• May work a regular job in addition to being a competitor.

Common work activities

Professional athletes perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Analyze data or information
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Develop goals and strategies
• Coach others
• Process information
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Develop and build teams
• Handle and move objects
• Evaluate information against standards
• Perform for or work with the public
• Schedule work and activities
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Think creatively
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Document and record information
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Control machines and processes
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Monitor and control resources
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Teach others
• Explain the meaning of information to others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, professional athletes:

Interpersonal relationships

• Are somewhat responsible for the results of plays or actions taken by other athletes.
• Have a high level of social contact. They talk with teammates, coaches, and trainers during training and competition.
• Communicate with others primarily by face-to-face discussions, e-mail, and telephone.
• Often compete as part of a team.
• Are occasionally placed in conflict situations in which others may be rude or angry.
• Occasionally must deal with the physical aggression of other athletes and players.
• Are somewhat responsible for the health and safety of teammates and opponents.

Physical work conditions

• Sometimes wear uniforms.
• Are often exposed to conditions, equipment, and situations that may produce cuts or bruises. This particularly applies to athletes who participate in contact sports.
• Often work outdoors in stadiums, on courses, or at tracks. May work indoors in field houses, covered stadiums, and ice rinks.
• Often come into close physical contact with other athletes.
• May wear protective gear, such as helmets and pads.
• Are occasionally exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting and uncomfortable.
• Are sometimes exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures.
• Sometimes compete in situations with very bright or dim lighting, depending on weather and time of day.

Work performance

• Must consistently perform at a high level of accuracy and completeness.
• Repeat the same physical activities.
• Sometimes make on-the-spot decisions during competition. These decisions impact their reputation and that of their coaches and team.
• Usually work under considerable direction from coaches and trainers.
• Work in a very competitive environment.

Hours/travel

• Travel a great deal. Athletes often travel each week during the playing season. Some travel year round
• Work, practice, or travel on evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• May be part-time or full-time athletes. May work another job in addition to being an athlete.

Physical demands

Professional athletes frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.
• Keep or regain their balance.

It is important for professional athletes to be able to:

• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Use muscles to jump, sprint, or throw objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for professional athletes to be able to:

• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• While looking forward, see objects or movements that are off to the side.

Skills and abilities

Professional athletes need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Teach others how to do something.

Perceive and visualize

• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Exercise Physiology
• Exercise Science and Kinesiotherapy
• Fitness Instructing
• Recreation, Fitness, and Leisure Studies
• Sport and Fitness Management

Training

To work as a professional athlete, you typically need to:

• be talented;
• stay in good physical condition; and
• put in years of practice.

Education after high school

There are no formal education or training requirements for professional athletes. Excellent performance in the sport is usually the most significant requirement. You develop athletic ability through many years of practice.

Some athletes, such as football and basketball players, attend college before turning professional. Participating in college sports is often a good way to increase and display your skills. However, you may choose to skip college and go directly to the professional leagues.

Work experience

Some sports require athletes to be members of a national organization. Without membership, athletes cannot participate in events sponsored by the organization. One such organization is the Professional Rodeo Cowboy's Association (PRCA). To obtain a membership permit, rodeo winnings must be at least $1,000 per season. Membership requirements vary by sport and organization.

On-the-job training

Self-employed athletes, such as golfers, are responsible for their own training. They often work with trainers and coaches to sharpen elements of their performance.

Team athletes, such as football players, practice and train both with teammates and on their own to prepare. Team coaches and trainers are responsible for training sessions during the season and preseason periods. During the off-season, the athletes are responsible for their conditioning.

All professional athletes normally spend several hours each day training for their sport.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Health Education
• Food and Nutrition
• Physical Education

Many professional athletes are self-employed. If you want to understand and manage your earnings, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Professional athletes are hired based on their ability and skills. Perseverance, drive, and dedication to the sport are additional qualities that employers look for. Reputation and the ability to attract spectators or fans are also important.

Most professional athletes spend four years in college practicing and developing their skills and abilities before becoming professional.

Experienced athletes may use professional agents to help them find employment and negotiate satisfactory contracts. Some may be drafted or traded to other teams.

Tips

Participation in sports activities and courses in nutrition are helpful. Professional athletes need academic training so they will have additional job skills when their sports careers end. Those who participate in heavy contact sports such as football, often are subject to severe and debilitating injuries. Some have careers that last only about four years due to the physical demands on their bodies. Thus, training for a second career is a good personal investment.

#"No Game, Still Pain," The Seattle Times, December 17, 2006. Source of comments on issues in pursuing career in football, cj.

Licensing/certification

Professional boxers, martial artists, and wrestlers must be licensed by the State. Licensing requirements include:

• being at least age 18 years old;
• completion of an application;
• submission of a current photo;
• proof of a physical examination; and
• payment of licensing fee.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Department of Licensing
Professional Athletics Program 
PO Box 9026
Olympia, WA 98507-9026
360.664.6644

#2/10/20

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Athletes and Sports Competitors 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

#Currently, there is no specific statewide wage information available for professional athletes.

Pay varies widely with the sport and the player's skill. The average income for major league baseball players is around $1,000,000 per year. However, very few players make it into the major leagues. Many spend their careers in the minor leagues, where they earn $2,500 to $5,000 per season.

In some sports, such as rodeo or golf, athletes earn money only if they place high in the final standings. In other sports, such as baseball and basketball, all players receive a salary. Successful athletes may earn additional income by endorsing clothing or equipment for manufacturers.

Many professional players spend many years playing as amateurs or in the lower levels of professional sports. They earn little or no income at this level. These athletes often work at other jobs during the off-season.

Very few professional athletes receive benefits. Those who participate in team sports may receive medical care. Most professional athletes must provide their own insurance and retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 15% of professional athletes are self-employed.

Major employers:

• Professional sports teams

National outlook

The outlook for professional athletes varies by sport. Some leagues occasionally add new teams and increase the number of jobs for professional athletes. In addition, the popularity of each sport varies. As the public gains or loses interest in a particular sport, this sometimes affects the number of openings for professional athletes.

It is very difficult to get a job as a professional athlete. Most athletes' careers last only a few years due to injuries and age. Thus, turnover in this occupation is high, creating some job opportunities. However, the number of qualified athletes greatly exceeds the number of job openings.

Other resources

Major League Baseball Players Association 
12 East 49th Street, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

National Basketball Players Association 
1133 Avenue of Americas
New York, NY 10036
800.955.6272
212.655.0880

National Football League Players Association 
1133 - 20th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.372.2000

Professional Golf Association 
100 Avenue of the Champions
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
561.624.8400

References

Career cluster

• Hospitality and Tourism

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Athletes and Sports Competitors (27-2021.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

• Professional Athlete (153.341-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Realistic/Enterprising/Social

COPSystem

• Arts Professional