Athletes and Sports Competitors

Athletes and sports competitors participate in organized, officiated sporting events to entertain spectators.

Duties

Athletes and sports competitors typically do the following:

• Practice to develop and improve their skills
• Keep their sports equipment in good condition
• Exercise, train, and follow special diets to stay in the best physical condition
• Take instructions regarding strategy and tactics from coaches and other sports staff during practices and competitions
• Follow the rules of the sport during competitions
• Assess performance after each event and identify their strengths and weaknesses

Many people dream of becoming a professional athlete. Few people, however, make a full-time living from professional athletics—and when they do, professional athletes often have short careers with little job security.

When performing, athletes and sports competitors must understand the strategies involved in their sport while following its rules and regulations. The events in which athletes compete include team sports, such as baseball, football, hockey, and soccer, and individual sports, such as golf, racecar driver, and tennis. The level of play varies. Some athletes compete in regional events; others compete in national or international events.

Being an athlete involves more than competing in athletic events. Athletes spend most days practicing and improving their skills under the guidance of a coach or a sports instructor. They review videos to critique and improve their performance and technique. To gain a competitive advantage, athletes also study their opponents' tendencies and weaknesses.

Because of the physical demands required by many sports, career-ending injuries are always a risk. Some athletes work regularly with fitness trainers and instructors to gain muscle and stamina and to prevent injury. They also may work with athletic trainers or exercise physiologists to recover and rebuild from injuries, even minor ones.

Sports competition at the professional level is intense, and job security is always in question. Therefore, many pro athletes train throughout the year to maintain or improve their form and technique to remain in peak physical condition. Little downtime from the sport exists at the professional level.

Athletes and sports competitors held about 19,100 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of athletes and sports competitors were as follows:

Athletes and sports competitors who participate in outdoor competitions may be exposed to weather conditions of the season in which they play their sport. In addition, many athletes must travel to sporting events. Such travel may include long bus rides or plane trips, and, in some cases, international travel.

Injuries and Illnesses

Athletes and sports competitors have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Many of these workers wear gloves, helmets, pads, and other protective gear to guard against injury.

Work Schedules

Athletes and sports competitors may work irregular schedules, including evenings, weekends, and holidays; part-time work is also common. During the sports season, they typically work more than 40 hours per week for several months as they practice, train, travel, and compete.

No formal educational credential is typically required to become an athlete or sports competitor. Athletes must have athletic talent and an extensive knowledge of their sport. They typically get such knowledge through years of practice and experience at lower levels of competition.

The median annual wage for athletes and sports competitors was $62,360 in May 2024.

Employment of athletes and sports competitors is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,100 openings for athletes and sports competitors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.