Category Archives: Careers in sport and exercise

Careers in sport and exercise: what can you do?

By Simon Rea

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Introduction: careers in sport and exercise

Careers in sport and exercise offer a wide range of varied and exciting opportunities.

If I look back at my career, I have been at various times a lifeguard, a leisure assistant, a fitness instructor, a gym manager, a teacher in further education, a self-employed personal trainer operating in people’s homes, a performance coach to Oxford University sports teams, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise, an examiner, and an author of textbooks.

At one point, when I was self-employed, I had six different job roles. So, I can attest that the sport and exercise sector offers both variety and opportunities for progression.

While I could have done some of these jobs without a degree, I would have hit a ceiling within two years. A degree was vital for progressing into more stimulating and senior roles.

Do you need a degree for a career in sport and exercise?

There are several ways to access careers in sport and exercise, so is doing a degree the best option?

You could become a fitness instructor by completing a two-week Level 2 course, or a sports coach by completing a short governing body coaching award. However, these short courses are designed as an access point. They equip you with specific skills for a role rather than enabling a long and fulfilling career.

A short course may show you ‘how’ to do something, but it is unlikely to help you understand ‘why’ you do it—an essential foundation for long-term development and progression.

The value of a sport and exercise degree

A degree enables you to fully understand the science behind a practice and assess its value.

David Pears, a football coach and senior lecturer in sports coaching, explains the value of a degree in sport and exercise:

“A good degree will ensure that your eyes are opened to the opportunities available and, because you have a greater depth of knowledge, you will be confident to move into other roles. Graduates can be more independent and look around for new things to get involved in. Degree level study can broaden your horizons, give you opportunities to network and get involved in things.”

Lauren Rose, a tennis coach who studied with The Open University, describes the impact of her degree:

“Completing a degree has had a huge impact on my coaching career and made me a better coach. It enhanced my knowledge of psychology, nutrition, strength and conditioning, and biomechanics. Studying sport psychology helped me give players more autonomy, and this has had a big impact on their willingness to train hard, but most importantly allowed them to feel more in control during match play. Studying for the degree also helped to increase key skills such as my resilience, perseverance and time management.”

Some students begin their degree with a clear career goal, which can be motivating. However, this is not essential. Keeping an open mind allows you to take advantage of opportunities as they arise – work hard and you never know where you might end up!

Where can a sport and exercise degree take you?

Image by Christoph Meinersmann from Pixabay

There are more than 50 potential roles within sport and exercise that could suit graduates in sport and exercise. These include careers in:

  • coaching and performance sport
  • fitness and personal training
  • community sport and development
  • health and wellbeing
  • education and teaching
  • business and sport management.

Career case studies in sport and exercise

Below are four examples of job roles in sport and exercise held by graduates from a range of universities.

Strength and conditioning coach – at Brighton & Hove Albion FC
Name: Will Abbott
Education: BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
A strength and conditioning coach designs and delivers training programmes to improve athletic performance. This involves understanding the movement demands and physical requirements of a sport and helping athletes improve performance while reducing injury risk.

———

Cardiac rehabilitation coach
Name: Josh Pusey
Education: BSc (Hons) Sports Science
A cardiac rehabilitation coach supports individuals who are either waiting for cardiac survey or are recovering from a heart attack. This includes designing and delivering exercise programmes and providing guidance on fitness and nutrition.

———

Sport development and physical activity manager
Name: Vicky Galvin
Education: BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Dance
This role involves overseeing sport and physical activity provision in a local area. Responsibilities include developing strategy, working with local authorities and health partners, and aligning with national bodies such as Sport England and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

———

Performance analyst
Name: Chris Barry
Education: BSc (Hons) Physiology and Sports Science
A performance analyst uses data and video analysis to support athletes and coaches. This includes analysing performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and helping teams prepare for competition.

Next steps: starting your career in sport and exercise

An undergraduate degree in sport, exercise or coaching can provide access to a wide range of careers in the sector. It can open the door to exciting opportunities, but further experience, professional accreditations and postgraduate study may be required for some roles.

What can The Open University offer?

The Open University offers two degree programmes in sport and exercise:

Both qualifications develop knowledge of key sport science concepts, practical, applied skills, transferable skills relevant across the sport and exercise sector.

Reference

Rea, S. (2019) Careers in Sports Science, Oxford, Adored Publishing.