How to become Sports professional
You can get into this job through:
- an apprenticeship
- amateur sport where you could be spotted by a talent scout
- a sponsorship or scholarship scheme
Apprenticeship
The Sporting Excellence Professional, advanced apprenticeship is available in the following sports:
- cricket
- football
- rugby league
- rugby union
The apprenticeship gives talented amateur sports players the chance to develop their sporting talent alongside their education.
Once you've completed your apprenticeship, you may turn professional or continue as an amateur while you get more experience.
You can find out more from the professional body for each sport.
Entry requirements
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
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Other Routes
The route to becoming a professional varies from sport to sport.
Typically you'll start by joining a club, academy or amateur organisation where you can train and get coaching.
Most sports professionals are spotted early on by talent scouts at this stage.
In some sports you may be able to get financial help to develop your sporting talent as well as to continue your general education.
You can find out more about different schemes through Sport England.
Your chosen sport's National Governing Body (NGB) is the best place to get more information on the way to get ahead in your sport.
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Career tips
Some professional sports careers can be quite short, so it's useful to have plans for what you will do when you can no longer play or compete.
Further information
You can get more details on what it takes to become a professional sportsperson from Sport England.