![]() | Feature: Selected Sport and Physical Education Career Opportunities | No.52 January 2008 |
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Professionalism, globalisation, commercialisation
and global health issues have catapulted sport and physical education
into the business arena causing an exponential growth in career opportunities.
A career represents a chosen path upon which a professional travels. A
professional is one who possesses distinctive qualifications that allow
engagement in and contribution to a career.
Career success can be greatly enhanced by examining all segments and
opportunities in the industry. A wide range of career opportunities
exist in the sporting arena: coaching, professional athlete, media,
law, health, journalism, marketing, retailing and management, to list
a few. Each of these opportunities demonstrates and requires specific
education and characteristics. Because of the vast number of career
opportunities in the 21st century, it is not the intention of this Bulletin
to address all of them. Sport Law, Teaching Physical Education, High
Performance Coaching and professional sport as a career have been selected
as an introduction to the vast array of career opportunities. Professionals
and experts currently practicing these selected career opportunities
on different continents have shared their views and perspectives.
The article by Hums, Moorman and Kabourakis emphasises
the broad spectrum of the sport industry including professional sport,
club sport, intercollegiate sport, recreational sport, sport for people
with disabilities, facility management and event management. As sport
is a reflection of society, all of these areas have legal issues and need
sport managers with legal expertise to handle them. The article clarifies
two broad categories in sport law career opportunities: a career in which
a licensed attorney engages in the practice of law in some segment of
the sport industry and alternative career paths for those with law degrees
but who are not actively engaged in the practice of law. Hills’
article provides a supplementary viewpoint on Sport Law from a South African
perspective.
Cathy Sellers clarifies the diverse demands on elite coaches in their
daily interaction and training with elite athletes from the viewpoint
of the US Olympic Training Center. The competency profile of an elite
coach includes knowledge on physiology, nutrition, psychology, video
technology, motor learning and biomechanics. She concludes by raising
two key issues for the future training of elite coaches: (1) the demise
of Physical Education programs and its impact on the elite coaching
profession; and (2) the pool of scientists able to remain working on
sport issues.
Sean McCann reflects on the retention of elite coaches in his article
on “Can Elite Coaches have a balanced life?” He discusses
the challenges and stress facing elite coaches in leading a balanced
life. Unhappy, unhealthy and unbalanced coaches either burn out or leave
coaching while elite coaches who maintain some semblance of a balanced
life are better performers. Sports organisations that retain coaches
perform better than those that have to start from scratch every year.
The value and contribution of Physical Education to personal and community
well-being is above repute. Both Jones and Lopez de D’Amico argue
that teaching Physical Education is one of the most fulfilling career
opportunities available. Jones’ article highlights the proliferation
of career opportunities inside and outside the classroom due to increased
attention to health, fitness and leisure. Lopez de D’Amico highlights
the training of professionals in the area of Physical Education and
sport from a Latin American perspective. The Venezuelan Constitution
and specific Acts support the importance of physical activity and, as
such, provide an important platform for the development of opportunities
in related careers. Clement is also a supporter of the career as a Physical
Education teacher but highlights the impact on health education that
such a role has.
Glamorous as it may seem, a career as a professional athlete demands
many sacrifices, hours of practice, long periods away from home and
the ever-present threat that injury will put an end to a career. The
captain of the New Zealand Canterbury Cricket Team (Kruger van Wyk)
communicates his personal views on the harsh realities and long road
to becoming a successful professional athlete.
Prof Anneliese Goslin
Prof Abel Toriola Contact
Prof. Anneliese Goslin
University of Pretoria Center for Leisure Studies Pretoria, South Africa Email: anneliese.goslin@up.ac.za Prof. Abel L. Toriola Tshwane University of Technology Pretoria, South Africa Email: ToriolaAL@tut.ac.za ![]() http://www.icsspe.org/portal/index.php?w=1&z=5 |