If you have ever dreamed of competing in the Olympic Games or playing hockey in the National Hockey League, yet have come to the realization that as an average athlete with a passion, it’s just not going to happen, you may be able to fulfill your Olympic dreams by working in a career in sport. The great thing about working in sports is that the working career lasts a lot longer than the athletic career does, yet the same passion and drive is necessary, as are the feelings of accomplishment. Like any profession, if you really love what you are doing, it never feels like work.

Getting on the path to the excellence podium starts with a passion and the motivation to do something about it. If it wasn’t for sport, some sports crazed people might not have even gained higher education. It will keep you motivated towards your goals and soon you will learn that studying physical education, kinesiology, marketing or media relations can lead to a much broader career in sport. Those years in high school and university should be utilized researching all the sports career opportunities that are possible. When you find your passion, it will be the anchor to keep you going, but paths often change as opportunities present themselves that can never be predicted, so be prepared to be flexible without giving up on the dream.

Even though they don’t give medals to organizers of the Olympic Games, they really should as so many have achieved their Olympic goals and dreams by dedicating their life’s work to being the best they can be, so that others have the opportunity to have their moment in time.

So how do you get there, you ask? Here’s a little Sports Career 101:

How big a role does luck play in a career path? A lot, because “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” 

And as the great Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”