Are you an avid sports fan but uninterested in the lifestyle of an athlete? Do you love strategy, marketing or dream of being on ESPN? Your love of sports doesn’t need to end with your P.E. classes. Why not continue your devotion to sports with a career in the sports industry? Here are some career options to consider where you can combine your love of sports with your own unique talents.  

Sports Anchor 

If you love being in front of an audience, are outspoken, or love the idea of being on television, this career may be for you. You should be able to perform well under pressure and have advanced improv and writing skills. This career calls for a degree in journalism, communications, media or sports management. You can start practicing right now by calling games for your high school, community or college teams. 

Check out some of the most popular broadcast journalism schools and programs in Canada and the U.S.. 

Famous anchor: Kayla Grey, current TSN anchor, is the first Black woman to host a flagship show in Canada. She uses her position to call awareness to the need for greater inclusivity of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in sports. 

Sports Physiotherapist 

If you are a health guru and want to help high-performance athletes recover from injuries and compete at their best levels, you should check out sport physiotherapy! You should be a problem-solver and personable. In Canada, this requires a OTPA Diploma, as well as a Diploma in Sport Physiotherapy through Sport Physiotherapy Canada. In the U.S., a master’s degree or doctorate in physical therapy is required from a CAPTE (Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education) accredited program. 

School options include:

Canadian: Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant Diploma at Cambrian College, Fanshawe College

American: Physical Therapy at University of Florida, University of Southern California

Referee

If you are passionate about the rules and playing fair, you would make a great referee! To be a referee, you need to be fit and knowledgeable about your sport of choice. All sports leagues have their own referee associations with their own requirements. If you’re interested in becoming a referee, join a local officials organization and become an umpire for local youth and high school teams. The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) (American) represents sports officials in all sports.  

Associations include

Canadian: National Hockey League Officials’ Association (NHLOA), Canadian Officials Football Association (CFOA)

American: U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Program, NFL Officiation Development Program (ODP)

Well-loved Referee: Carol Anne Chénard, recently retired, has been a soccer referee for games at two FIFA Women’s World Cups and two Olympic Games. She is only the fourth Canadian to serve 15 years or more on the FIFA List of Referees and Assistant Referees. She has created an instructor’s course and is currently teaching referees at the international level. 

Sports Marketer

If seeing your favourite athlete team up with a well-loved brand gets you excited, sports marketing may be for you! Sports marketers should be creative and innovative. This career can involve educational backgrounds in marketing, business, and sports management. Sports marketers have the opportunity to work in public relations, event sales and promotions with college sports teams, national organizations and sports venues.

Check out Shannon Hosford, current chief marketing officer at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment responsible for the extremely popular We the North campaign for the Toronto Raptors.  

Sports Agent

Are you creative?  Sports agents need to be creative, well-spoken, and able to think on think on their feet. They typically work for a larger sports organization, but some work independently. They are important for representing athletes and teams to create supplemental income through public media appearances, endorsements, and advertising. As this is a competitive field, a bachelor’s degree, and even a master’s or doctorate, is recommended. Sports management is the recommended undergraduate program, and law school will further benefit a sports agent and those they represent, giving them the technical knowledge for reading contracts and negotiating, as well as a competitive edge. 

Ready to play?

Many of these careers encourage a love of sports and require an educational background in sports management. You can learn more about these programs in the following articles that contain program-specific information for Canada and the U.S.. 

We hope girls can pursue their passion and use their strengths at work. Beyond a potential career, participating in sports encourages womxn empowerment through building leadership and teamwork skills, and confidence. Let us know below how sports have impacted your life, and keep reading our blog this month as we celebrate the capacity of exercise and wellness to make us happier and healthier! 

For more sports inspiration, read about our Female Founder’s entrepreneurial journey here.

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