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  • Career Profile: Golf Caddy

    Career Profile: Golf Caddy

    Playing games can be fun and relaxing, but sometimes people need help. If you play any team sports, you know how important it is to work together with the others to get a goal or a touchdown. Golf is not normally a team game, but the players can often use help. Golf caddies used to be essential to the game. Even though fewer people work in this field than in the past, it can still be an interesting job to have for people who enjoy golf and spending time outdoors.

    Before the invention of golf carts, caddies were essential to every golf course. Golf clubs and other equipment can be very heavy, and caddies would carry everything so that the players could concentrate on the game. They would estimate distances between wherever the ball landed and advise the players on the best club to use and smooth out any part of the course that got disturbed so that it would be good for the next player. They would look at the weather, ground conditions, and other factors and try to help make the game more enjoyable for everyone involved.

    With motorized carts, most players no longer need caddies to carry their heavy bags around, and many of them prefer to make their own decisions about how to play the game. However, caddies are still necessary in some contexts. Elderly players, for example, might not have the strength to carry golf bags and might also appreciate having someone to help them decide about their next move. In addition, professional players normally have caddies who can tell them about the course and make sure that they can concentrate on the game. A good caddy can help a player win important tournaments and win large prizes.

    Becoming a golf caddy takes time and experience but no particular education. Basic math skills are important for keeping score, and knowledge of weather patterns can help. However, the most important requirements are to know about the game and to know the particular golf course where the people are playing. Caddies need to know where the player has to hit the ball next and what might cause problems along the way. Caddies also need to know the rules of golf and how to use all of the different equipment.

    Salaries for golf caddies can vary a lot. Some people in this field work for one or two golf courses and receive regular salaries. Others get paid according to each bag that they carry and can earn up to about $5000 in one summer. In professional tournaments, caddies often also receive a percentage of the prize money if the golfer wins. Sometimes this amount can be quite large, and caddies can earn a lot of money by doing their job well. If this idea is appealing to you, why not start practicing your golf skills?

    Bibliography:

    Answers.com. “How Much Do Caddies Earn.” http://www.answers.com/Q/How_much_do_caddies_earn.

    Careers.org. “Career Occupational Profile for: Golf Caddy.” http://www.careers.org/occupations/16812/golf-caddy

    Cameron, Patrick. “How Much Money Do Golf Caddies Make?” http://www.golflink.com/tips_5167_much-money-do-golf-caddies.html.

    Herrfeldt, Bill. “How to Be a Golf Caddy.” http://www.golflink.com/how_1185_be-golf-caddy.html.

    Payscale.com. “Average Salary for Industry: Golf Course.” http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Industry=Golf_Course/Salary.

    Roland, James. “How to Become a Professional Golf Caddy.” http://golftips.golfsmith.com/become-professional-golf-caddy-1888.html.

    Wikihow.com. “Be a Golf Caddy.” http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Golf-Caddy.

  • Canadian and American Sports Scholarships: An Overview

    Canadian and American Sports Scholarships: An Overview

    Are you and school right now and love playing sports? Are you a top team player and want to continue playing sports when you go to college or university? You may want to consider looking into college and university sports scholarships. Sports scholarships can be national or international, and can take you across the world. A sports scholarship is described as “An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university or a private high school awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport.”[1]

    Sports scholarships are very common in America, with their highly fuelled sports culture. Players from all over the world can be offered scholarships to come and play for American teams, most commonly and most popularly, football and basketball. For Canadian students, sports scholarships can be awarded yearly, and can be renewable up to 4 years, which is the length of an undergraduate degree.[2] Canadian students may have many struggles trying to achieve a scholarship from the States. They must apply for visas, promote themselves, and take American college entry exams.[3] That is why a lot of applicants tend to have recruiting companies like athleticscholarships.net do the heavy groundwork for them.

    In an article in Maclean’s Magazine brings up the fact that most Canadian students forego Canadian athletic scholarships because US scholarships provide more money, opportunity and media exposure.[4] Maclean’s states: “Canadian schools are currently forbidden from offering athletic scholarships that exceed tuition and student fees. The vast majority get much less than this. While tuition in most provinces is over $5,000 a year, the average Canadian sports scholarship is $1,060.”[5] Now that is a hard pill to swallow for most universities trying to encourage their home-grown and trained students to stick around. At times it seems like sports scholarships come down to one thing; money. Sports scholarships can launch careers, but education is always the most important thing to consider. If you are a student who is not excelling in academics but is excelling in sports, you may want to balance yourself out evenly before you make any big commitments to go over-seas for a sports scholarship.

     

    CanScout[6], Canada’s leading sports recruitment agency (in Ontario), lists some very important facts about Recruiting:

    • College coaches lack the resources to recruit and find athletes.
    • If you are an excelling athlete in your high school, you should be receiving mailings from college coaches.
    • “As soon as the NCAA rules allow college coaches to contact prospects, they will begin to call you”
    • Ontario highs school athletes are being overlooked for international scholarships for their coaches lack knowledge of the recruitment process.

    Although some things need to change within Canada for Canadian high school students to gain exposure and just reward, don’t overlook what might be in your own Canadian back yard. You might find that you are more comfortable playing sports in Canada than in the U.S., despite the temptation of money. Check out the article “OF KNIGHTS AND EXCALIBUR COLUMN: Canadian athletic scholarships have value too” by Kyle Dupont.[7] He talks about some misconceptions about Canadian sports scholarships that you might want to look at before you jump into our neighbour’s yard and play the field.

    References:

    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletic_scholarship

    [2] http://canada.usembassy.gov/educationusacanada/sports-scholarships.html

    [3] http://www.athleticscholarships.net/canada-athletic-scholarships-america.htm

    [4] http://www.macleans.ca/general/an-expensive-fix-to-a-non-existent-problem/

    [5] http://www.macleans.ca/general/an-expensive-fix-to-a-non-existent-problem/

    [6] http://www.canscout.ca/

    [7] http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2013/01/02/of-knights-and-excalibur-column-canadian-athletic-scholarships-have-value-too

  • Career Profile: Team Mascot

    Career Profile: Team Mascot

    If you enjoy sports, you probably know the names of many of the players on your favourite team. You might know some of the coaches, and possibly the cheerleaders. How much do you know about the team’s mascot? Even if you know nothing about the person’s name, you probably know how good the mascot can make you and other fans feel.

    Helping people enjoy a sports event is what team mascots do- they lift your spirits high and encourage team support. They lead people in cheers, do special tricks, or otherwise try to get people excited about the game. Most professional teams in sports like basketball, football, and basketball have official mascots. Some amateur teams might have them, as well as special teams and clubs. Canada also has an Olympic mascot named Komak the Moose.

    If you want to work as a team mascot, you can already start to look for openings. You can check with sports teams to find out about the possibilities for work. Talent agencies can be useful since they often have e-mail lists with job openings.

    No special education is required for becoming a team mascot, but training is helpful. Team mascots might have to dance, jump through burning hoops, or perform all kinds of other athletic tricks. Learning how to do these tricks safely can help keep people from getting hurt. If you have a positive attitude, love sports culture and fun, this is a fun job. Whether the team wins or loses, the mascot’s job is the same.

    Staying healthy and in good shape is extremely important. Mascots might have to spend many hours each week running, lifting weights, and doing other physical training.

    Professional sports teams travel a lot to compete with teams from other regions. Normally, team mascots go along with the teams. For some mascots, this might mean that they are away from home for several months every year. Since most sports are seasonal, they might have a few months of frequent travel, followed by months of no work at all. The salary for mascots can also vary widely. Some mascots receive only about $25,000 per year, but others can be paid $100,000 or even more. In some cases, it can be a part time or fulltime job.

    Creating your mascot trademark is important. Most mascots wear costumes that can be heavy and hot to wear, but they still have to be able to move around and to do whatever will make people notice them. Some mascots might develop special techniques, such as doing somersaults or back flips. Others might use funny gestures or find other ways to draw people into the game. Over time, mascots can also change and develop their style, with the direction of the team’s marketing department.

    Creativity and special skills are important for team mascots. Being able to sew and to alter costumes can be valuable, and other special skills are also useful.

     

     

     

     

  • Dream Job: Sports Coach

    Dream Job: Sports Coach

    Many people dream of becoming great hockey players or tennis stars. A few of them manage to fulfill their dreams and to play in the sport they love. However, the career of an athlete is usually fairly short. Depending on the sport, athletes might be finished by the time they are twenty-five or thirty years old. What can they do after that?  Some of them get into an entirely different type of work, like teaching or accounting. Others, however, stay in their sports through becoming coaches. That was the case for Michel Therrien, coach of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team.

    If you play on a sports team at school or a community centre, you probably know a bit about what coaches do. Basically, they help the athletes in the sport to play better than before. They might help players improve a certain part of their style, such as how they hold a hockey stick, or they might just generally encourage them to keep on practicing. Often, being a coach involves making decisions about who will play and for how long. Being a coach involves an ability to deal with people calmly and to make good decisions quickly.

    Normally, coaches work in sports that they also have played in the past. Michel Therrien, for example, used to be a player for the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. Now he is the team’s coach. His experience as a player is useful in helping him understand how players can improve their hockey skills. He also knows how to advise the players on the best way to play their game. For example, he might see how a really fast skater can help someone who is slower but very good at getting goals. He can see when a player is working well with the others and when someone needs help. Michel Therrien has experience with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and everything he has learned has helped him to become a better coach.

    The requirements for being a coach can vary a lot. Coaches for school teams are usually teachers with degrees in education, and many coaches take courses to become certified in their area. Through these programs, they learn different coaching techniques and ways of dealing with people. Experience, however, is often the most important way to learn the work. Many people start out as assistant coaches and learn from someone who has been doing the job for a long time. Michel Therrien started his coaching career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he coached two teams before becoming a professional hockey player.

    If you love sports and dream of playing them for the rest of your life, becoming a coach just might be the job of a lifetime!

  • Dream Job: Sports Coach

    Dream Job: Sports Coach

    Many people dream of becoming great hockey players or tennis stars. A few of them manage to fulfill their dreams and to play in the sport they love. However, the career of an athlete is usually fairly short. Depending on the sport, athletes might be finished by the time they are twenty-five or thirty years old. What can they do after that?  Some of them get into an entirely different type of work, like teaching or accounting. Others, however, stay in their sports through becoming coaches. That was the case for Michel Therrien, coach of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team.

    If you play on a sports team at school or a community centre, you probably know a bit about what coaches do. Basically, they help the athletes in the sport to play better than before. They might help players improve a certain part of their style, such as how they hold a hockey stick, or they might just generally encourage them to keep on practicing. Often, being a coach involves making decisions about who will play and for how long. Being a coach involves an ability to deal with people calmly and to make good decisions quickly.

    Normally, coaches work in sports that they also have played in the past. Michel Therrien, for example, used to be a player for the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. Now he is the team’s coach. His experience as a player is useful in helping him understand how players can improve their hockey skills. He also knows how to advise the players on the best way to play their game. For example, he might see how a really fast skater can help someone who is slower but very good at getting goals. He can see when a player is working well with the others and when someone needs help. Michel Therrien has experience with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and everything he has learned has helped him to become a better coach.

    The requirements for being a coach can vary a lot. Coaches for school teams are usually teachers with degrees in education, and many coaches take courses to become certified in their area. Through these programs, they learn different coaching techniques and ways of dealing with people. Experience, however, is often the most important way to learn the work. Many people start out as assistant coaches and learn from someone who has been doing the job for a long time. Michel Therrien started his coaching career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he coached two teams before becoming a professional hockey player.

    If you love sports and dream of playing them for the rest of your life, becoming a coach just might be the job of a lifetime!

  • Dream Job: Hockey Player

    Dream Job: Hockey Player

    Many people dream of being a famous sports star when they grow up, but not everyone achieves that dream. Have you ever wanted to become a star in a sport like hockey? A Canadian athlete named Hayley Wickenheiser has become well known for her amazing athletic abilities and for her work in helping others. Like other hockey players, she has worked hard at her sport while also balancing it with the rest of her life.

    Becoming a professional hockey player takes a combination of talent and hard work. Hayley Wickenheiser discovered her athletic abilities early. She grew up in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, where she became skillful at several different sports, including hockey and softball. When she was fifteen years old she started playing hockey at the Women’s World Championships as part of the Canadian National Women’s Team. The team won seven gold medals over the next years. Hayley later played on men’s teams in Finland and Sweden, and she has won gold and silver medals at several Olympic Games. She is now known as one of the best athletes in the world.

    For most athletes, the time they spend on playing their sport every year is fairly short because the work is seasonal. However, they spend a lot of time during the rest of the year on training and keeping themselves healthy. They run, lift weights, swim, cycle, and continue to practice their skills. They try to keep themselves healthy by eating good food and avoiding anything that might make them sick. They keep themselves strong so that they can play well.

    A career in sports is not usually very long, and most athletes move on to other jobs by the time they are about thirty years old. Some athletes have to leave sports because of injuries, but most of them leave because of age, when they no longer have the energy to keep up with the demands of the sport. Hayley Wickenheiser has continued in professional sports longer than many other athletes, but she is also preparing for a different career after she finishes playing hockey. In 2013, she received a science degree in kinesiology from the University of Calgary, which will help her if she works to help other athletes play better.

    Besides her sports and her studies, Hayley has been working in several other areas. She works with several groups that encourage girls to get into sports, and she also works with a group that buys mosquito nets for people in countries that have trouble with a deadly disease called malaria. Hayley has traveled to Africa to work with the charity that she started, Right to Play. Her personal life is also busy, since she is looking after her son in addition to everything else that she does. She is already well known for her hockey skills, but people also recognize her for this charitable work.

    Are you good at playing hockey?  If you practice your skills and become part of local teams, you might someday be able to make hockey your career.

  • Getting Involved with School Clubs

    Getting Involved with School Clubs

    During your first year of post-secondary education, youʼre going to want to experience different things, gain new friends, harness your academic and social skills, and perhaps get your mind off all that schoolwork.

    One of the best ways of doing this, outside of your classes, is by joining one of the many clubs on campus. There is bound to be a club that suits your needs and interests, and it may be as simple as going online to see what is available for you.

    A club is an excellent way to have fun while learning new skills that are relevant to your career path, and sharing your passion with other like-minded people.

    In my time at Brock University I joined three clubs.  One of them was the writers club – where students would join up after their classes to share poetry and prose. In a small seminar room, usually with under 20 students, we would discuss each others work in turns, pointing out our strengths and weaknesses.

    Sharing my work with others and receiving their criticism helped me grow as a writer. But clubs are not limited to just seminar discussions.

    Another club at Brock, called Guinness Brock,  is based around trying to break world records. If you need volunteer hours to put on your resume or application form, you may benefit from a club like this.  Being part of a club also helps out with scholarships, since most look for a candidate with strong extra-curricular achievement. Last year Guinness Brock broke the world record during their freshmen week for most people air soloing. They also attempted to break the record for worldʼs largest dodgeball game.

    More than just being rewarding, joining a club can help lead to other opportunities.  For example, the previously mentioned Guiness Brock club helped Brock student Sohail Ahmed climb his way to the top of Brock Universityʼs student council, becoming the acting president for the upcoming semester. Sohail founded Guiness Brock, not only to create a club that he would enjoy, but also to create something that would allow him to gain management experience that could lead him to other opportunities on campus. As a result, Sohail not only created a lasting impact in Brockʼs club society, he also created an opportunity for himself.

    As much fun as clubs can be, try and select clubs you’re interested in wisely and make sure they fit your academic schedule. Happy clubbing – and yes, there are probably dance clubs as well!

  • Sports and Volunteer Hours

    Sports and Volunteer Hours

    With the cold now upon us, many of us are dreaming of next summer. During the summer months, the last thing you want to think about is school and especially about completing those mandatory volunteer hours so you can get your high school diploma. Not to worry, though! You can still have plenty of fun in the sun while completing those volunteer hours.

    How do I know that you can do this? Well, I know from personal experience of course. Just like all of you readers, I had to manage my time in the summer so I could complete my volunteer hours. I decided that since I have to do them, I would want to volunteer for something that I would enjoy. In my case, I liked sports, so I phoned some local sport clubs and asked if any were offering volunteer hours for students.

    After some sport searching, I discovered that I could coach for a junior league soccer team. As intimidating as coaching sounded, I was up to the challenge, and it turned out to be one of the best parts of my summer. I signed up, along with my brother, and we coached a soccer team for 8 year-olds soccer  for two months.

    We practiced once a week and played a game every weekend, putting in over 3 hours a week. It was a very small amount of time we had to take out of our normal summer, and it wasnʼt agonizing to do. In fact, I looked forward to seeing my kids learn and develop soccer skills through mine and my brotherʼs coaching. It was very rewarding, especially when we made it all the way to the finals and won the
    championship!

    Jamie Willett, a recent resident at Western University, had a similar experience with her high school volunteer hours. Jamie did her volunteer hours spending her summer assisting a junior gymnastic team. She spent hours every week planning and executing lessons for a group of young gymnasts.

    “It was really thrilling to teach the kids during the summer. Although it brought new challenges everyday, it allowed me to test my skills as a gymnast and as a teacher. It definitely helped me discover what I wanted to do after high school as well!”

    This fall term Jamie will be studying at teacher’s college at Western University for a year so she can teach students at the high school level.

    As you can see, there are plenty of ways to finish up those volunteer hours during your high school years and we have only covered the realm of sports! Be sure to check out the Jobs People Do Volunteer section to check out where you can lend a hand in your community!

    Start thinking about and planning your summer volunteer opportunities now!

  • Sports and Volunteer Hours

    Sports and Volunteer Hours

    Jobs People Do | JobsPeopleDo.comFinishing Your Community Hours in the Summer with Sports.

    When youʼre loving the summer, the last thing you want to think about is school especially completing those mandatory volunteer hours so you can get your high school diploma. Not to worry though, you can still have plenty of fun in the sun while completing those volunteer hours.

    How do I know that you can do this? Well, I know from personal experience of course. Just like all of you readers, I had to manage my time in the summer so I could complete my volunteer hours. I decided that since I have to do them, I would want to volunteer for something that I would enjoy. In my case, I liked sports, so I phoned some local sport clubs and asked if any were offering volunteer hours for students.

    After some sport searching, I discovered that I could coach for a junior league soccer team. As intimidating as coaching sounded, I was up to the challenge, and it turned out to be one of the best parts of my summer. I signed up, along with my brother, and we coached a soccer team for 8 year-olds soccer  for two months.

    We practiced once a week and played a game every weekend, putting in over 3 hours a week. It was a very small amount of time we had to take out of our normal summer, and it wasnʼt agonizing to do. In fact, I looked forward to seeing my kids learn and develop soccer skills through mine and my brotherʼs coaching. It was very rewarding, especially when we made it all the way to the finals and won the
    championship!

    Jamie Willett, a recent resident at Western University, had a similar experience with her high school volunteer hours. Jamie did her volunteer hours spending her summer assisting a junior gymnastic team. She spent hours every week planning and executing lessons for a group of young gymnasts.

    “It was really thrilling to teach the kids during the summer. Although it brought new challenges everyday, it allowed me to test my skills as a gymnast and as a teacher. It definitely helped me discover what I wanted to do after high school as well!”

    This fall term Jamie will be studying at teacher’s college at Western University for a year so she can teach students at the high school level.

    As you can see, there are plenty of ways to finish up those volunteer hours during your high school years and we have only covered the realm of sports! Be sure to check out the Jobs People Do Volunteer section to check out where you can lend a hand in your
    community!

  • Sports for Life: A Career in Physical Education is Possible

    Sports for Life: A Career in Physical Education is Possible

    With the Winter Olympics just behind us, and the FIFA World Cup still going on,2010 is becoming an exciting year for international sports. Although extra-curricular activities and education do not seem to mix on the surface, there are plenty of viable career paths that are just as healthy as the exercise you may be getting.

    If you are interested in sports and are looking at the industry, whether that be hockey, soccer, baseball, rugby etc., you have probably noticed that there are plenty of jobs in the field. The most apparent and sought after being performance.

    Vince Sasso, senior high school student, and soccer player for the Toronto Football Clubʼs (TFC) senior academy team has spent plenty of years training within the Canadian Soccer League in hopes of a scholarship and viable career opportunities.

    Vince has found his experience training with the TFC to be extremely useful.

    “I’ve gained so much development as a player and a person, I’ve increased my speed, power, and tactical awareness, and improved good old fashioned teamwork abilities” he noted.

    He has been actively honing his playing skills, but says that, “it takes more than just talent to make it, it depends on your background and experiences too”.

    Many young athletes find gaining quality experience and exposure to be the most difficult barrier in fulfilling their career goals.

    “The TFC helps us with scholarship opportunities because the coaches always look at the professional youth club teams in big tournaments like the Dallas Cup” Vince said. The young and ambitious soccer player is looking to study abroad as well, looking at American post-secondary schools such as North Carolina.

    “Itʼs a tough one, but first Iʼm going to try and get a scholarship” Vince claims.However, if you are in to sports and do not want to or canʼt get into performance not to fret! There are plenty of more prospects within this industry to satisfy your passion for the game. Remember that the sports industry does not only deal with players, there are many people behind the scenes to make the games possible.

    Taking an internship with a sports franchise is a rather common endeavor for beginners in the business and marketing field. So if this is a field of study you want to focus on you may want to do some research on what kind of companies run and manage the game. Want to still be close to the game? There are even coaching, training and referee internships available.

    If traveling is your cup of tea an internship may be right for you? According to sportscareer.com an internship can have you hitting a home run by placing you in a position for the jobs you are training for. Now that is practicality! HOWEVER , like most dream jobs, post-secondary education and and volunteer experience within the field is highly recommended.

    Is a career and education in sports viable? The answer is an obvious yes. The sports industry like any other business has its own microcosm of jobs for various people with various skills. So get in the game and start playing!