One of the careers that I found interesting while researching was that of a sports analyst. Sports analysts work round the clock. Sometimes even 10 to 15 hours a day - to research, present, & analyze all the breaking news in the sports world. They are the ones who discuss games & strategy on TV, and they provide their commentary to keep fans engaged in the sport they love. This job isn't an easy one. Especially not as easy as the sports fans think it to be. Sports analysts need to spend hours observing the players, teams and learn more about the sport itself to specialize in.

Interestingly, sports analysts working in studios across the country have to travel to different cities to cover games. To be successful in this industry, you must research the sport you want to be associated with. The next step is to be active on social media channels like - Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the likes to learn more about the players. You further need to enhance your communication skills to convey the right message when you go live. Almost all sports broadcasters have either played the sport before or are deeply interested in it-- either way you need to understand the rules of the game before covering it. As a sports analyst, you can make from $60,000 to millions a year if you are really good at your job. 

Although the educational qualifications may vary at different levels, most sports broadcasters have at least earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Aspiring sports professionals often choose to receive an undergraduate degree in communications, broadcasting, journalism, radio and television, media, or mass communications. These kinds of programs are not very common. This is why a sports aspirant is advised to specialize in certain sports-related skills. They are further advised to enroll in programs for sports journalism, sports broadcasting, or sports management.

If such a program isn’t offered at your chosen college, make sure you select electives in sports broadcasting, public speaking, sports history, media marketing, sports production, and station operations. There are many ways that you can follow to pursue this dream. But I personally got interested in the fact that sports commentators spend most of their time researching & gathering data, rather than speaking vaguely or from their personal experience. I figured that many sports analysts are former athletes who have experienced what the players go through in their sports journey. For example, many of the NFL commentators are former NFL players who can speak about their experiences & connect them to the topics they are discussing. This helps them to further connect with the audience through the experience they had from their time while playing the sport.

In my opinion, this is one of the hardest jobs. Especially in the field of sports because it requires a lot of dedication and effort. The sports analyst role requires experience as well as knowledge of the topic that they are covering. They research thoroughly and use their own reporting to write up stories or articles for sports enthusiasts to read. I have the passion and the drive to work in this field. This is why I have been following sports since I was a kid. As I believe my presentation and my research skills will allow me to be successful as an analyst. I will continue to work to become a sports analyst and pick up new skills along the way.