Sport & adventure
What does a
athlete do?
Trains and competes in a sport at a high level.
A career guide for curious students · Grades 3–12
A day in the life
Trains for hours, rests and eats well, works with coaches, and competes. Many athletes also study or work alongside.
Skills to practise
Discipline, resilience, teamwork, learning from losses.
How to explore this path
Years of daily training from a young age. Very few reach the top, so many athletes plan for a second career such as coaching.
Training, qualifications and professional rules vary by country. Check current local requirements with a teacher or careers counsellor.
School subjects & interests
Athlete connects with Physical Education, Biology. You may enjoy this work if you like outdoors.
TRY A LITTLE OF THIS CAREER
A hands-on activity
Pick one skill, such as a skip or a throw, and practise it 10 minutes daily for two weeks.
Ask an adult to help. Follow the safety notes in the activity. Printable activities are currently in English.
For younger explorers: a simpler explanation
What do they do?
Athletes train very hard and play a sport at a high level.
What helps?
Practising daily and not giving up after a loss.
Learning about the path
You train for many years. Not everyone reaches the top, and that is okay because there are many sports careers.
Questions to explore next
- Which part of this work sounds most interesting to me?
- What did I enjoy when I tried the activity?
- What could I ask someone who works in this field?