By Ranjan K Baruah
To make an energetic career it’s important to have good health from childhood. Physical fitness and a healthy body is important for our growth and this is needed from childhood till we live. Nowadays in the days of modernity where things are becoming more commercial and educational institutions are also becoming sophisticated. It is good that exercise and fitness programmes are included in curriculum or as co curricular activities in educational institutions so that every child or students can grow well.
One of the careers which can be linked with this is a career in sports and physical fitness. Sports are also important for the all development of an individual. Not necessary that everyone will play for the competitions but to remain fit it’s good to play. Some can take up sports and physical fitness as a career too.
A career in sports and physical fitness is a unique occupation. One can remain fit and also earn money through this profession. Apart from being a profession, sports has the potential to build character- concepts such as self discipline, teamwork, sacrifice and fair play can be learned and enhanced through athletic competition.
Sports and Physical Fitness together includes Sports Media, Sports Team Administration, Sports Medicine and Sports Management. Sports media include Marketing, Broadcasting, Sport Writing, Public Relations, Photography, etc. Team Administration includes postings such as Coach, Instructor, Referee, Athletic Director, Physical Trainer (PT) etc. in high schools, colleges, universities and for professional teams.
Medicine includes Sports Rehabilitation & Orthopedics, Athletic Training, Sports Nutrition, Sports Psychologist etc. Sports Management include Management and Finance, Organising leagues etc. as team manager. One of the largest sports job sectors is health and fitness.
There are plenty of opportunities for health and fitness jobs where professional sportsmen and women, as well as amateur athletes require training and conditioning.
There are also various scholarships provided for those interested in sports in order to sharpen their talents.
Sports persons on retiring from active play can also look forward to satisfying jobs in assignments such as umpires and referees.
In our country Spas and yoga centers have grown like mushrooms in most of the urban, suburban and semi-urban areas. The increase in demand of style brings more opportunities for people who are trained in physical fitness
Some of the courses are like B.Sc. in Physical Education, Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed), Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports Sciences (BPES), Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Management (P.G.D.S.M), Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine (P.G.D.S. Medicine), etc. Apart from this there are diplomas courses and certificates courses are available.
For graduate level programs as well as certificate courses, 10+2 is required. To enter into a teaching position, Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed) or Master of Physical education is required, the former is a 3 year course with 10+2 as eligibility to enter while the latter is a 2 year course with graduation respectively.
There are also Graduate and Post graduate programs in Physical fitness, sports medicine etc. for which the requirement is graduation. For BSc courses sciences stream is essential but in many other courses students from any stream can join if they are selected.
Many talented sports persons are employed in railways, government sector enterprises or with the private sector that they represent in the sporting event/game in various tournaments and matches. Sportspeople get exposure at national level or international sporting events.
Sport and fitness is a rapidly expanding field, offering many opportunities for a wide range of careers, from playing or coaching in your chosen sport to managing sports centres or health clubs.
To excel in any sports hard work and regular practises are must and if planned and practised properly one can become a good sportsman and bring glory to the state or to the country.
In recent years many sports person from the North East have done well at national or international level. There are opportunities available for us as sports person or as physical fitness professionals.
(The author is a career mentor and skill trainer and can be reached at [email protected] or 8473943734)