National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2011
- 5 - Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport
- 52 - Technical occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport
- 525 - Athletes, coaches, referees and related occupations
5251 - Athletes
Athletes participate in competitive sports events on an amateur or professional basis. They play team sports such as hockey, baseball, football and lacrosse; or compete in individual sports such as skiing, figure skating, boxing or track and field; or in games such as poker or chess. Athletes are employed by professional team organizations or they may be self-employed. This unit group also includes competitors such as chess players and poker players.
Illustrative example(s)
- athlete
- baseball player
- boxer
- figure skater
- football player
- golfer
- harness race driver
- hockey player
- jockey
- professional athlete
- skier
- sprinter
- track athlete
Exclusion(s)
- Coaches (5252)
- Sports instructors (See 5254 Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness)
- Sports officials and referees (5253)
Main duties
Athletes perform some or all of the following duties:
- Train under the direction of a coach or trainer to qualify for competition
- Attend scheduled practice and training sessions
- Participate in local, regional, provincial, national or international competitions and sporting events
- Assess performance after an event to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Employment requirements
- Demonstrated ability in a particular sport, or type of game, is required.
- Extensive training under the supervision of a coach is required.
- Certification with a particular sports federation may be required.
- A background combining athletic training and college or university studies is strongly recommended.
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