Careers in Sports & Recreation
Careers in Sports and Recreation offer opportunities to inspire healthy lifestyles, support athletic performance, lead recreation programs, manage events and facilities, and engage communities through sport and wellness. Whether your interests lie in coaching, fitness, sports management, or recreation leadership, there are many pathways to explore.
Katie Kuka
Career Coach, STEM, select majors from Education, Health & Human Sciences
Meet with your career coach
Your career coach can help you:
- Explore industry career options
- Update your resume
- Search for jobs/internships
- Graduate school applications
- and more!
Example career paths and job titles
Community & recreational
- Athletic Director (High School)
- Coach
- Parks and Recreation Director
- Youth Sports Coordinator
- Campus Recreation Manager
- Outdoor Adventure Guide
- Aquatics Manager
- Community Fitness Program Manager
- Tournament or League Director
Professional & competitive sports
- Equipment Manager
- Team Operations Assistant
- Fan Engagement Coordinator
- Sports Agent
- Stadium Operations Assistant
- Sponsorships and Donor Relation Director
- Player Recruitment
- Project Planner
- Compliance Director
Health, fitness, & wellness
- Strength & Conditioning Coach
- Athletic Trainer
- Certified Sports Psychologist/Mental Performance Coach
- Personal Trainer
- Group Fitness Instructor
- Corporate Wellness Coordinator
- Certified Therapeutic Rehabilitation Specialist
- Sports Physical Therapist
- Wellness Program Manager
Marketing & media
- Sports Marketing Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Sports Broadcaster / Reporter
- Photographer / Videographer
Career resources
Explore the industry
Research career paths, typical job titles, and what it takes to enter this industry.
Build your network
Join student organizations at UT and connect with professional associations in this industry.
Apply on Handshake
Search this industry’s Handshake feed and use specialized job boards to find roles.
Get experience with Vol Edge
The How to Get Experience module covers finding internships, research, and other hands-on opportunities in a field like this one.
Explore the industry
Use this section to research career paths, typical job titles, and how to start building skills to get prepared for this industry.
Student organizations and campus involvement
Use this section to learn about student organizations you can join at UT to learn more about your desired industry, network with professionals and peers with similar interests, and build transferable skills.
Student Organizations
- Adaptive Recreation Club, University of Tennessee
- Delta Alpha Pi, University of Tennessee
- Partners in Sports, University of Tennessee
- Rocky Top Rowdies, University of Tennessee
- Tennessee River and Trail Club, University of Tennessee
- The Camp Koinonia Organization, University of Tennessee
- Unified Special Olympics Club, University of Tennessee
- UTK Relay for Life, University of Tennessee
- VOLthon, University of Tennessee
- Volunteer Team, University of Tennessee
Jobs and internships
Check out these sites in addition to the Handshake feed seen at the bottom of the page to search for jobs and internships.
- TeamWork Online
- Jobs in Sports
- JobsInSports.com
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Market
- HigherEdJobs
- The Sports Intern
Looking to get involved in Sports and Recreation at UTK?
- Intern with the Vols, University of Tennessee Athletics
- Student Employment, RecSports
- Sports Internship Tracker
Explore the University of Tennessee Athletics Staff Directory to connect with professionals in your area of interest.
Professional organizations
Use this section to learn about professional organizations.
Jobs on Handshake: Sports & Recreation
Are you interested in exploring opportunities in this industry? Check out Handshake, where you can find personalized job recommendations, career events, and networking opportunities.
Explore other industries
Ready to plan your next step in sports and recreation?
Talk to your Industry Career Coach about your major, your career path, or your next experience. They’ll help you map the steps from where you are to where you want to land.