Sports scouts hunt down players for college and professional sports teams in football, basketball, and other major sports. There is no specific training or degree for a sports scout, but education can increase the odds of getting a job.
Professional teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS all hire sports scouts. Colleges and universities sometimes also have budgets for sports scouting. Just like the coaching jobs, getting one of these scouting jobs is very difficult for most aspiring scouting agents. Nonetheless, there are some things that a person can do to increase the chances of getting a job as a sports scout.
The first thing a scout needs is knowledge in the sport for which he seeks a scouting job. One of the best ways to gain this knowledge is to go to school and earn at least a bachelor’s degree.
One option is to get a degree in sports management. This could open the door to opportunities for coaching jobs, athletic-trainer jobs or other sports-related occupations.
Because there is no such thing as a college degree in sports scouting, it is important to open up other options while hoping for a scouting job down the line. This is why so many become coaches first and then actively look for employment as a sports scout while plying their knowledge in coaching or a related craft.
Knowing the right people is also very important. If possible, seek to get acquainted with hiring personnel with the professional or college sports teams. Visit the headquarters and get to know the people who hire the sports scouts. Let them know how passionate you are about building a winning team. Even give them some examples of athletes you would like to recruit for their team.
Go on some mock scouting trips to find athletes and write out detailed reports on them. You should even have an entire notebook of scouting reports to show that you are already actively involved in scouting and ready to build a winning team. Take the notebook on all interviews and for any chance you have to meet hiring personnel.
As can be seen, it is very difficult to become a sports scout. Jobs are hard to come by due to the number of applicants and the fact that many are kind of insiders that have more connections than the average person. But you can certainly increase your chances of getting a scouting job with education, experience in coaching, and showing that you have the tools and work ethic to help build a winning professional or college sports team.
Education-Portal: Sports Management Degree Programs