If you love sports but are unable or unwilling to make a career out of playing them professionally, you may still be able to turn your interest into a career by becoming a sports broadcaster.
This requires you to be able to explain what is going on in the game so that it makes sense to people who do not have sports knowledge and describe the events on the field in a detailed manner.
The latter is especially important for sports broadcasters who work in radio as the audience is not able to see what is going on. Sports broadcasters work in television, radio, and now digital streaming video.
If this is a career path that appeals to you, here are some steps to get started on it.
Get a Bachelor's Degree in a Relevant Field
You probably do not have to take out student loans to learn more about sports. Chances are that the knowledge you have already amassed is sufficient. Where you need to focus your academic efforts is learning to communicate effectively with others.
A degree in speech can help you develop your oral communication skills, while a degree in broadcasting, journalism, or mass communication deal with reaching larger audiences at the same time.
It may be possible to take a concentration specifically in sports communication. This gives you the opportunity to study relevant topics such as the social role of athletics, sports business, and ethics as well as developing reporting skills.
Start Early
You do not necessarily have to wait until college to start building the necessary skill set to become a sports broadcaster. Chances are your high school athletics program needs people to announce at games, so you may be able to gain experience that way.
Even if you cannot announce, you may be able to report on sports for your school newspaper. Opportunities such as these help you to learn communication skills in speaking and writing as well as sports terminology.
If there are no opportunities to gain practical experience in high school, you should have more of a chance in college. Many institutions of higher learning have their own student-run newspaper, television studio, or radio station.
These allow the college or university to connect with students and the larger community while offering opportunities for students to gain experience in these fields.
If your college does not offer these on campus, they may be able to arrange internships or other learning programs with professional broadcasters that allow you to get practical, real-world experience.
Seek Out Mentors
Mentors are people who offer you special guidance and uniquely personal education. In college, you will meet with several professors and educational advisors who can work closely with you to help you along your career path and find likely employment opportunities.
They can introduce you to influential people in the field and vouch for your character and capabilities.
However, not all mentors are people whom you work with or necessarily know in person. As you are first gaining the necessary skills back in high school, a mentor can be someone whose work you admire and whom you would like to emulate.
For example, if there is a certain sportscaster whom you think is particularly talented, you can watch or listen to all his or her broadcasts or interviews. If the broadcasters you admire have written books, you can also learn from them by reading their works.
Build a Demo Tape
Once you have built up the necessary experience, it is helpful to be able to show potential employers what you can do. You can compile some of your best moments in amateur broadcasting and edit them together to form a demo tape.
This is probably not a literal tape but an electronic file, but the terminology has not yet caught up to technological advancements.
Some sports broadcasters first had a career as professional athletes and then turned to broadcasting once they retired. However, a prior athletic career is not required.
