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Pro athletes play
sports and compete on a professional level in front of crowds of
fans. They also travel all over—even to other countries—for
competitions. The down side is, sometimes they suffer injury.
And most athletes have to make big sacrifices (time, friends,
and even family) to do what they love. Often they're on the road
more than they're home.
But if you have passion for your sport and plenty of energy to pursue it,
give this career field a shot—what have you got to lose?
Professional
athletes can be many things such as:
Basketball
Players—Is your dream job being MJ? If you're quick on your feet and can make free throws with your eyes closed,
basketball's your game. Maybe you’ll make it to the top, but first learn how to be a team player.
Gymnasts—As
a gymnast you need a strong body, excellent balance, and a good
grip. If you like to flip, jump, tumble, and twist—plus
can land on your feet like a cat—you might vault into a gymnastics career. Not many make it to the Olympics, but why not aim high. Goals are good!
Snowboarders—Maybe
you like the thrills and chills of doing flips
and jumps off a snowcapped mountain. Obviously this job requires
a great deal of training, skill, and hard work. But if you're
up for it, start with some smaller hills. Then work your way up to
steeper slopes.
Interview
with Pro Snowboarder: Kelly Clark
 Kelly
was born in the Green Mountains of Vermont. She started skiing
almost as soon as she could walk. She took lessons at age
four, and three years later got her first snowboard. She couldn't
wait to try it out!
"That
was all it took. Although the guys around town were better
than me and I fell all the time, I was hooked immediately."
Kelly's
Dad hoped she'd give up snowboarding and put more focus
on skiing, a sport he understood better. But instead, Kelly started ditching skiing
lessons to learn new snowboarding tricks. When her father
found out, she fessed up.
"He
always told me that I could do anything I wanted. What he
meant was, I could be an Olympic World Champion skier. I tried to tell him I wanted to make a career out
of boarding, but he didn't take me seriously.”
Still
Kelly went with her heart, dropped out of skiing entirely,
and perfected her famous halfpipe. She also stayed in school
and got good grades—she knew if snowboarding didn't
work out she'd get a degree in art. But by 14, she was competing
and placing in the top three at every snowboarding event she entered.
At 16, she joined
the US team. And in 2002, at 18, she fulfilled her highest
goal, made it into nationals, and took gold at the Olympics.
 "Mostly,
I wanted to make my dad proud, and prove that I could do it.
But I also thought that once I was at the top I'd be happy."
But Kelly
soon learned having everything she'd ever dreamed of wasn't
anything like she'd hoped. There was pressure to perform.
Despite the bumpy ride, she persevered.
It's
funny. Now when I compete, I don't freak out if I don't do
everything perfectly, I just pray, relax, go out there and
have fun."
So what does this pro snowboarder do when she's off the slopes? You'll find her cruising the waves of the California surf.
In fact, she recently relocated to the state to be closer
to the ocean.
More about
Kelly
http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/5058589/detail.html
http://www.usolympicteam.com/26_1051.htm
What You Can Do to Get Ready:
As in Kelly's case,
you may not have to attend college, but most pros these days
do! It's important to have something to fall back on, if your pro sports career doesn't work out, or an injury prevents you from playing.
In the meantime, though, you can practice, practice, practice. Join a team or club in your area. And, if
you’re really serious about it, talk to your parents about getting a personal
trainer (if you can afford it) to coach you one-on-one.
But make sure lessons and games aren't getting in the way of your first priority: school. Good
grades go the distance, no matter what your goal!
What it Pays:
Kelly knows her
income and sponsorship all depend on how well she performs.
The attitude she projects is important, too. Qualities like being a team player and having respect for others are equally
key.
On an average, pro-athletes make around $45,000
per year. However some, who are considered beginners make
a little less. And others, like Kelly, who are tops in their
sport, make a lot more. Sometimes even millions for something they love doing!
Other
Resources:
Kids
World: Not sure which sport to try? Surf here.
Cybersleuth
Kids: Tons of sports stuff, and cool links to click on.
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