One of the most difficult aspects of the move from amateur or college sports to the world of professional sports for many players is the change in attitude from sports as a game to sports as big business. The drive to get to the top and the constant pressure to stay there can prove disillusioning to some players.
Athletes who reach the professional teams usually developed their interest in sports at an early age. By the time they reach high school, they have usually already decided on a particular sport as their favorite or the one they are best at playing.
Professional teams recruit most of their players from among the top-notch college players. A few are hired from industrial and business leagues, the military, and from minor and semipro teams. On rare occasions, an exceptional player is hired right out of high school.
Women as professional athletes have appeared mostly in golf. Women also play professional tennis and basketball and are securing a limited number of positions as professional jockeys. Although there are some regional women's Softball leagues, they have never developed into a money-making professional status.
Places of employment and working conditions
In general, many professional athletes face the possibility of being traded or dropped, and older players are constantly pressured by talented newcomers. Injuries are always a danger, and, for the most part, the active playing years are limited to the early 20s through the mid-30s. Only golfers play longer.
Travel is a constant necessity during the playing season with very little time off for personal life and family. Rigorous training schedules, the need to be in top physical form, and the strict training rules and curfews of some coaches are a hardship for some players.
In baseball, spring training starts in February or March. The playing schedule of one or two games a day with occasional travel days lasts until October.
Football players report to training camp in July for eight or nine weeks. Fourteen weekly games make up the playing season, and bowl games can extend the season into January.
Basketball training starts in September or October. Three or four games a week, for a total of 82 to 84 games, make up the regular season with a possible 4 to 21 postseason games.
Professional hockey players train in September and play from October to May. Soccer season is traditionally from April through August, but an indoor season from January to March is becoming popular in the United States.
Golfers manage to play a major part of the year because they follow the sun. Tennis players participate in tournaments year-round.
Qualifications, education, and training
Competitiveness, top playing skills, physical stamina, strength, good eyesight and hearing, self-discipline, and the ability to work as part of a team are all necessary for a professional athlete. Quick reflexes, concentration, timing, and speed are also necessary in most sports.
High school athletic training is very important. Good coaching at this level develops basic skills and physical condition and introduces the player to the regimen of exercise, dieting, practice, and training that will be necessary throughout a professional career. Good coaching in high school also increases the player's chances for a college scholarship.
Although a college education is not required to play professionally, college does offer some unique advantages. College-level coaching refines and upgrades the skills developed in high school. There is greater emphasis on technique and application of skills. College games usually reach a wider audience including scouts from professional teams.
The biggest advantage of a college education is the opportunity to prepare for an alternative lifetime career. Not every talented player reaches the professional teams, and even those who do have a limited playing career. Not everyone gets to be a coach or a celebrity who earns a lifetime living as a result of sports fame.
Potential and advancement
Only a very few make it to the top professional teams. Even those who do can play for only a limited time. Athletes who have college training can move into fields such as radio, television, and journalism after they retire. Others open restaurants or sporting goods stores or work for community recreation departments.
Other opportunities exist in local amateur, semipro, and industrial leagues. Talented college players may fill openings for coaching positions in small colleges or secondary schools, some of which require teaching certification.
Professional athletes may also move into coaching and management positions after their professional playing careers end.
Income
Well-publicized three- and five-year contracts of several million dollars or more, earned by a few superstars, are few and far between. However, many athletes are well paid. Salaries range from $18,000 to well over $1 million a year.
Salaries in individual sports vary a great deal. Athletes earn their income by participating in tournaments and meets. Usually only the top players in sports such as golfing, boxing, and horse racing earn high salaries.
Many professional athletes earn additional income through endorsements and personal appearances. Many also have businesses that they operate during off-season months.
Additional sources of information
National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, St. Petersburg, FL 33731
National Basketball Association, New York, NY 10022
National Football League , New York, NY 10022
