At Velocity Football, we are incredibly lucky to work with bright and enthusiastic students each year, all of whom share the same goal to fulfil a career in sport.
That might be as a professional sportsperson, a coach, an analyst, an administrator, a physio, a journalist – the list is endless.
It is our belief that sport has the power to change lives, and we work with students to help them become the best version of themselves via quality coaching, education and guidance.
A career in sport is an excellent way to make a living and we are passionate about inspiring the next generation via our full-time educational academy.
To find out why a career in sport could work for you, we spoke to Velocity Football coach Jack Tutton who listed his top five reasons why he enjoys his role.
Turning your hobby into a career
In many cases, a passion for sport is sparked at school, when people join a local club or by watching competitive fixtures on TV.
Sport in Oxfordshire at grassroots level is well supported across all formats. It is through grassroots football that Jack established his passion for sport, which he later turned into a career through Oxford City FC’s full-time educational academy.
He said: “I love being outside in the fresh air and helping people reach their targets, it’s incredibly rewarding.
“Being active was a huge part of my childhood, extending that into my adult life and making a living from teaching sport outdoors is great. No two days are the same.”
Pathway opportunities
Jack’s career started as an apprentice before he became a full-time sports coach with Velocity Football partner Ignite Sport UK. He now teaches a variety of sports in education, school club and holiday camp settings.
He said: “I have found that sport strongly supports development and employees’ ability to progress up the ranks.
“Starting at the beginning, apprenticeships are a great way to develop your understanding of a job while gaining a recognised qualification and be paid for it. There are many other job roles to consider training in either through earning and learning or via formal qualifications.
“For me, the FA’s coaching badges are qualifications I can work towards to upskill my knowledge of coaching football.”
Sector variety
Regardless of your age, background or physical health a job in sport awaits you.
Admittedly, some roles require you to be in a certain physical condition. But aspiring to become a sports coach does not mean you must hold the ability to run a marathon in less than four hours!
Jobs come in various guises and enable you to meet like-minded people who share your passion for sport.
“My job with Velocity Football is active, but part of the programme is helping students understand the different roles available in sport,” said Jack. “Not everyone who graduates from the programme will end up becoming a coach or working on the training ground.
“Some students have an idea of what they would like to do during their time at Velocity, for others it takes longer. It’s our job to make them understand the variety of opportunities and roles that will be available once they graduate.”
Change lives
Paralympic gold medallist marathon runner Kurt Fearnley once said:
“Sport isn’t just about winning or losing, scoring or conceding, being the fittest in the world or living a healthy lifestyle. Sport in its best form is an agent of positive change for society as a whole.
“It changes lives on and off the field of competition. Participants personally benefit with health improvements – becoming stronger, faster and healthier – and enjoy that competitive surge of adrenaline and chemical explosion in our brains that comes with a win or just being out there.”
We could not have put it better ourselves.
Jack said: “Everyone has a story to tell, and by coaching with Velocity Football I am able to directly impact the next generation of professionals through my sessions.
“It is proven that sport and physical activity is good for our mental and physical wellbeing. We are reminded of how sport has the power to change lives daily through our engagement with people of all ages and abilities.”
Engage with everyone
Sport champions inclusivity. The stories of Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali and Billie Jean King are great examples of this.
But it is not only at the top of the sports pyramid where you will find examples of this.
Jack added: “Having a professionally run male and female full-time educational academy in Oxford is a tremendous asset to the city.
“Each student has the opportunity to train, play and learn through our state-of-the-art facility. There are no barriers at Velocity Football and we work with students from all backgrounds.
“You will find inclusivity is a constant in sport. It is a very friendly and hard-working industry.”
