To be a champion is not easy and to be the guide of a champion is rather tougher. The Mileage makes an attempt to explore the career opportunities of a sports coach.

 
It’s definitely true that Sachin Tendulkar, Baichung Bhutia, Abhinav Bindra, Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom are not made in a single day. It takes a lot to be a sports star. Passion, practice, talent and a tough fighting spirit are some ingredients. The world of sports today has reached to such a level where sports persons are becoming more popular and also have a huge fan following. While these sport stars are reaching new heights of success, their coaches definitely needs a special mention and the big share of the success should be credited to them.

 
To be a coach is not easy, as you have to be the one who would guide probably the best player in the world; it’s a challenging task to perform. First, one has to excel in their respective field of sport and then guide the sportsperson continuously. A coach is a person who is not just criticized for the failure of the player but sometimes also not given credit if his player tops the competition.
A coach requires good planning and organizational skill. Many a times, coaches may be parents, ex-competitors, teachers or even someone who is interested in that sport and has the passion for coaching, but there are professional degrees too.

 
The coaching courses vary from junior introductory coaching to elite coaching courses, advance from generic to sport specific courses. It is also possible to gain qualification from universities, bachelor, master and even doctorate degrees can be obtained in coaching. Many interesting courses like exercise physiology, psychology and biomechanics also enhance the coaching knowledge.

 
To get into coaching, one can also start off with gaining experience in local sports club or organization in the nearby community to find out about volunteer coaching opportunities. This is the best way to develop skill, grow and to experiment own style of coaching. Another idea is to contact your provincial or state sport organization that administers the regulation of the sport you are interested in. They can help you identify where you should start and what your options are.

 
It takes time to develop coaching skills and a good reputation, so career progression can be slow and may be dependent on personal motivation. Geographical mobility is an advantage.

 
For coaches working with professional sports people, career progression often depends on results, which may be measured by a performer’s achievements and progress or by the level of participant’s enjoyment. Career development in this area also depends on effectively marketing one’s services and skill to potential clients. Even in this area, coaches tend to continue to diversify in the range of services they offer. This is supported by an ongoing development of professional skills through courses and workshops and by keeping up to date with any arising issues and changes to sporting practices.

 
Senior Coaching posts usually require completion of advanced coaching qualification and also more likely to need a degree. The number of post at this level is limited and they are likely to be with sports’ National Governing bodies or national teams.

 
It’s definitely not true that every aspiring coach would one day surely become a coach of a famous sports star and frankly speaking there are many. However, there are ample opportunities for a coach who has a professional degree as almost every school, college and government departments encourage sports and have space and posts for coaches to help them in their co-curricular activities.
So, keep your spirit high, be sporty not just for yourself but also build a sporty attitude for others.

 

Check out the Colleges for a sports degree:

 

Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, New Delhi
SNDT College of Home Science, Pune
Vinayaka Mission University, Tamilnadu
Lakshmibai National University of Physical Education, Gwalior
University of Madras, Chennai
Punjabi University, Patiala
Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Punjab
Tamilnadu Physical Education and Sports University, Chennai
Karunya University, Coimbatore
Sports Education Development India Limited, Mumbai
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra