Sports Instructors and Coaches

Coaches and instructors have taught players the rules of the game and performance techniques ever since the first athletes and teams competed. The word coach was used in the academic world first, in the 1830s in Oxford University; it described a tutor who "carried" or "coached" a student. It wasn't until the 1860s that coach was used to describe the person who taught and guided athletes and sports teams. Today, the sports industry is an exciting and lucrative field that employs many instructors and coaches to help athletes reach top levels of performance. 

Americans have more leisure time than ever and many have decided that they are going to put this time to good use by getting or staying in shape. This fitness boom, as well as a trend toward more sports competitions, has created employment opportunities for many sports-related occupations. Health clubs, community centers, parks and recreational facilities, and private business now employ sports instructors who teach everything from tennis and golf to scuba diving.

As high school and college sports become even more organized, there continues to be a need for coaches qualified to teach the intricate skills associated with athletics today.