Plan your career: Focus on health and academics for a career in sports

It focuses on developing every aspect of physical fitness and the ability to perform well in sports activities. There are many kinds of sports and games such as football, cricket, basketball, volleyball, tennis, golf, badminton, swimming, boating, boxing, long jump, high jump, running and so on that one could involve. 

A professional athlete should have a good coordination of his body and mind with perfect reflexes. A good eyesight is a considerable advantage. Being disciplined, competitive and willpower to perform under pressure should be built in your DNA. It is important to keep playing a lot in your early age. If you do your studies well, you will find a place in your school team easily. Train rigorously. Stop eating junk food. You could join some teams and clubs pertaining to your sport. 

One needs to find at a very early age what game he or she wants to professionalise. Each sport requires a distinct set of skills and distinct physical norms. If you are underweight, you cannot dream of wrestling and boxing. Other skills needed are quickness, endurance, and flexibility. Handling stress, teamwork and patience form part of your training days. Mental fortitude is vital. One has to gain knowledge of opponents’ strengthens and weaknesses. Knowing the competitors is a great motivator. 

Concentrate also on an alternative career. It is a significant advantage. Now with Premier Leagues in cricket, football, kabbadi, etc., it is getting changed. If your family is financially well off, the latter may be suitable. It is advisable to stay in a security zone as the field itself is volatile due to poor form or injury. As for studies, get primary inputs on the businesses of your sport and psychology. 

Both are useful in the long run. Eventually, one could also try to get into being referees, sports officials, fitness manager and sports commentators with the required short diploma courses. As you see, there is no specific educational level to be a professional sports athlete, but it is always good to reach a certain level of higher education for alternative or a straight career in sports itself. A professional sportsman, as you know, is like a famous actor or singer. He or she enjoys the same popularity. 

Hence, get noticed. Earning your degree and studying in a college that gives importance to sports is one good option. Simultaneously get into playing for clubs and local teams. Develop also certain soft skills like interpersonal communicative skills, concentration, rhythmic timetable, and decision-making. Learn to handle irregularity, unbalanced schedules and importantly, the injuries that come your way. 

Take off misconceptions like that you will always be getting to play, that you will get into the highest level of a professional team, for example playing for India, that you will earn a lot of money and become famous. But stay committed to your game everything will come to you.