Jobs In Teaching Sport
There are a variety of careers that involve teaching or instructing sport. These careers include working with individuals or groups, and working with people of various ages and abilities.
Fitness Instructor
Fitness instructors help to improve people’s fitness. They normally specialise in one area of fitness, such as keep fit, step aerobics, aquarobics, weight training or circuit training.
Instructors work with people individually or in a group, depending on the area of fitness they work in. They teach people by explaining and demonstrating techniques or movements.
Outdoor Pursuits Instructor
Outdoor pursuits instructors work with individuals and small groups of all ages and abilities. They teach a range of skills by giving practical demonstrations and short talks. Activities include abseiling, canoeing, caving, rock climbing and windsurfing.
Instructors need to plan activities that meet the interests and ability levels of particular individuals or groups.
Physical Education Teacher
Physical Education (PE) teachers instruct young people in physical activities and sport. They organise and supervise groups, coach in various sports and skills, and motivate young people to improve their performance.
PE teachers are often required to supervise extra-curricular sporting activities during lunchtimes or after school. Some schools may expect PE teachers to teach an academic subject as well.
Riding Instructor
Riding instructors teach people of all ages and abilities to ride horses. Other duties include feeding, exercising and grooming horses daily, although instructors may supervise grooms or trainees (‘working pupils’) who do this work.
Instructors will also deal with administrative tasks such as ordering supplies and writing progress reports.
For each lesson, the instructor needs to create and follow a plan, so pupils progress at their own pace and feel a sense of achievement. The instructor needs to keep track of each pupil’s progress.
Sports Coach/Instructor
Sports coaches work with teams and individuals, passing on the skills and techniques of a sport. They may work with complete beginners, or at the other end of the scale, with professional players and athletes.
The coach plans and puts into practice a suitable training programme to meet the needs of the individual or team. As well as improving technique, the programme should also build confidence, and encourage participants to fulfil their potential.
Enthusiasm, patience and excellent communication skills are needed.
Coaching takes place in a variety of settings – swimming pools, gyms, athletics tracks and playing fields. Weekends and unsocial hours, including a lot of evening work, are usually necessary.
Only a small number of coaches have full-time, salaried posts. Most work on a part-time basis, paid or voluntary. Coaching can sometimes be combined with other work, such as administration or lecturing.