Coaches and Scouts

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Human Geography
Secondary Topic: Places and Regions

Overview:  Coaches work to train athletes in the necessary skills to succeed both in their team and their sport. While training athlete’s physical skills such as strength are an important aspect in this occupation, the role that a coach plays in developing an athlete’s interpersonal skills is as equally vital. They must be facilitators, mediators when there is conflict within teams, communicators, and motivators, all the while developing strategies for upcoming games. Coaches sometimes also have assistant coaches that work with them to help with these processes. The geographic location can impact the type of sport that coaches specialize in, and the culture of the region as well. For example: American football is a major aspect of life and culture in the southern United States, while in the Midwest and North hockey or other winter sports have a great influence over the life and culture of those regions.

Scouts can travel both nationally and internationally to evaluate and recruit athletes to play for their teams. Scouts typically recruit for collegiate or professional level sports. Scouts must be aware of differences in culture and playing styles that may stem from differing geographic regions within both the United States and beyond. They must also have the knowledge of which sports are dominant in different states, regions, and countries to know where to recruit potential players. They might go to the American south to recruit American football players, the Midwest or Canada for hockey players, South and Central America for baseball and soccer, or even China for basketball players. They must also have the communication skills to persuade athletes why they should choose to play for their team as opposed to other offers the athlete may have received.

Geographers at work:  Human geographers, Regional geographers, Geographers that specialize in specific or local areas, social geographers

Recommended College Courses: Human geography, World Geography, Location Analysis, American Ethnic Geography, Geography of Europe, Geography of Latin America, Geography of North Africa and the Middle East, Geography of South and Southeast Asia, Geography of the United States and Canada, Race, Class, and the American City

Skills: Communication skills, location analysis, human geography

Occupation Group: Entertainment and Sports

Learn more about Coaches and Scouts from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Labor:

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/coaches-and-scouts.htm#tab-2