Sports Scouts

Previous experience as a collegiate or professional athlete, coach, or manager is usually required to enter the field. 

First and foremost, a person who would like to become a sports scout should have vast knowledge of a particular sport. For a sports scout, an athletic contest is not only something to enjoy, but also something to study. Sports scouts must be detail oriented and methodical in order to understand the rules, regulations, fundamentals, strategies, and personality types that are best suited to athletic competition.

Above-average organizational skills are also essential. More often than not, sports scouts will attend several games before reporting to a supervisor. They must be able to organize their thoughts and notes so they can compare players from several games to come to conclusions about their abilities.

Communication skills are important. Sports scouts must be able to write and speak well, particularly because they interact with other coaches and players on a daily basis. If they work as a recruitment scout, they are in contact with younger players, and thus work well with and understand younger people. A proficiency in a foreign language, especially Spanish or Japanese, will be also of great help, since sports scouts will be sent to foreign countries to monitor the development of promising athletes.

A sports scout must also be a team player, a good judge of talent and character, and be able to recognize ability and mental toughness in others.