Not everyone can go pro, but anyone can still work in sports after playing.
When I talk to high school athletes for Athlete of the Week, at practices or in general, one thing I always like to talk about is college. Specifically, I want to know what they plan to major in wherever they go. More often than not, it ties back to athletics.
A lot of kids in the area want to break into the sports world any way they can. Physical therapy, kinesiology, sports medicine, sports management and athletic training are brought up a lot. I’m glad they understand the need to have a plan for when — not “if” — their playing days come to an end during or after college. It’s extremely hard to go pro in sports. For many people, just being around the games they love is enough. Trust me, I know from experience.
When you’re in college, you have access to a wealth of resources. Even if you don’t attend a traditional university, you still have options. There will be internship and networking opportunities available to those who hustle for them. The best thing you can do, short of actually interning, is link up with someone who works in the field you’re interested in and ask questions.
That’s why I’m introducing the Plant City Observer’s newest series, Learning the Ropes, this week.
I want to explore various career paths in the sports world that our readers may be interested in. I want to find people in these fields and ask questions with answers that will help anyone get a jump start on their path (or, if they had the wrong idea about a profession, know to start looking at other careers). Not only do I want this to be an interesting educational series we all can learn something from, I want it to be a useful resource for people who need something like this — whether you’re a high school student or an adult looking for a career change.
We started this week with a look at the world of athletic training, which is totally different from being a personal trainer. Once a month, we’ll look at careers across the spectrum: everything ranging from healthcare to management to even alternative athletic careers with paths that aren’t immediately obvious.
If you’re interested in a specific profession and want to see it explored in this series, please drop me a line at jkline@plantcityobserver.com. Let’s learn together!
