Athletes and Sports Competitors

Career Overview

Compete in athletic events.

Also Known As

• Baseball Player
• Golf Professional
• Hockey Player
• Race Car Driver

Alternate Job Titles

• All Terrain Vehicle Racer (ATV Racer)
• Archer
• Athlete
• Automobile Racer (Auto Racer)
• Barrel Racer
• Baseball Pitcher
• Baseball Player
• Basketball Player
• Bass Fisher
• Bicycle Racer
• Bicyclist
• Billiard Player
• BMX Rider (Bicycle Motocross Rider)
• Bodybuilder
• Bowler

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Assess performance following athletic competition, identifying strengths and weaknesses and making adjustments to improve future performance.
• Maintain equipment used in a particular sport.
• Attend scheduled practice or training sessions.
• Maintain optimum physical fitness levels by training regularly, following nutrition plans, or consulting with health professionals.
• Participate in athletic events or competitive sports, according to established rules and regulations.
• Exercise or practice under the direction of athletic trainers or professional coaches to develop skills, improve physical condition, or prepare for competitions.
• Receive instructions from coaches or other sports staff prior to events and discuss performance afterwards.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Administration and Management
• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Speaking
2. Active Listening
3. Critical Thinking
4. Coordination

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Static Strength
• Oral Expression
• Stamina
• Problem Sensitivity
• Dynamic Strength
• Explosive Strength
• Speech Clarity
• Gross Body Coordination
• Near Vision

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Achievement Orientation
• Perseverance
• Self-Confidence
• Stress Tolerance
• Self-Control

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Recognition
• Relationships
• Support
• Independence

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Less than a High School Diploma

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Adobe Photoshop
• Facebook
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Oracle PeopleSoft

Tools & Equipment

• Badminton rackets
• Balance beams
• Baseball catching gloves
• Bicycle motocross BMX bikes
• Bowling balls
• Boxing gloves
• Competition javelins
• Competition sailboats
• Competition shot puts
• Competition skateboards
• Competition snowboards
• Competition surfboards
• Competition water skis
• Core strengthening wheels
• Cross-country skis

Work Environment

• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
• Level of Competition
• Contact With Others
• Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$24,960
Median	$62,360
Top Earners (90th percentile)	>$239,200

Workers Employed Nationally: 14,370

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.