Courses in Sports & Career Options/ Prospects in Sports

India’s stupendous performance at the Commonwealth Games 2010 along with individual sportspersons like Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra, Gagang Narang and others inspire youngsters to pursue a career in sports. Sport is no longer just a recreational activity. It has evolved into a full-fledged and viable career option. The government too has taken a lot of measures in this direction. The Department of Youth Affairs and Sports in the Ministry of Human Resources and The Sports Authority of India (SAI) have been established to encourage talented youth to pursue it as a career. The Sports Authority of India has been playing mentor to hundreds of young sportsmen from all over India, providing them with various training facilities, advanced infrastructure, scholarships and coaching facilities.


About the course

The National Institute of Sports is the main academic centre of Sports Authority of India. It offers the following courses:

• M.Sc. in Sports Coaching
• PG Diploma in Sports Medicine
• Diploma in Sports Coaching
• 6 week certificate courses in Sports Coaching

Career Options

• Physical Education Instructor
• Coach
• Umpire/Referee
• Professional Player
• Sport and leisure club manager
• Administration
• Sports and business marketing
• Sports journalism
• Sports photojournalism

Career Prospects

You have different options to choose from within the field of sports and athletics. You can pursue the game professionally or become a trainer/instructor/coach for a game or sporting event. You can also utilize the experience and insights you have gained over years as a sportsperson in any game and put it to use in a related field like sports journalism, sports goods manufacture/marketing or as commentator. You can also train to become an umpire or a referee or take up the position of coach or a physical instructor in educational institutions. Later on you can graduate to work as an administrator or official in the local sports organisations, either government or private. You can also branch into adventure sports and set up training centres and health clubs.


Payoff

The match fees of the umpires are based on the tournaments they supervise but the average is Rs. 4000 per match. The physical education instructors in schools etc earn around Rs 15000-35000 per month.The match fees of the umpires are based on the tournaments they supervise but the average is Rs. 4000 per match. The physical education instructors in schools etc earn around Rs 15000-35000 per month.