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How can I combine what I'm really good at, but don't particularly care for, and what I'm really good at, but is not a long term profession?

Hi. I'm a senior who has been very active in sports all my life. I'm a 4 sport athlete with tennis and soccer being my main sports that I excel in. I also excel in math. For a professional career, soccer or tennis is not realistic, but that's what I love. There are so many careers with a math focus, but I don't enjoy math. Is there something that combines the two?
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Thank you comment icon Well, how do you feel about teaching? Or coaching? In your other question, you mentioned that you are good with leadership and community involvement. You could pursue degrees in education and sports management/coaching in college, which would allow for you to pursue both strengths and help others reach their goals. Also, even if you do not believe that a professional career in sports is realistic for you, what is the harm in trying? Ashley
Thank you comment icon I would consider Sports Medicine (Athletic Training). It's not necessarily "math" as you learn in high school, but it involves a lot of science since it's medical. You would travel with the sports teams and basically watch the games closely for a living to watch for injuries. When my mom works football, she literally chooses between watching the game from the field with the team and watching it in the university president's box. But athletic trainers are needed for any sport, especially soccer (SO MANY header concussions). Plus, being an athlete can really help you to convince someone to stay out when they're hurt instead of toughing it out and causing themselves permanent injury. Isabelle
Thank you comment icon Your process-oriented mind you use for math would be very helpful in the medical areas (i.e. actually treating the athletes), but you wouldn't have to use math all the time. Plus, unlike Physical Therapists who mostly work with old people who've fallen, Athletic Trainers get a 110% guarantee they'll be working with athletes. Isabelle
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Douglas’s Answer

Well, you have made the first big decision already in that a professional sports career is not realistic. So the big question becomes what can you do for a career? You say you don't enjoy math - very few people, other than math majors , enjoy math. The question is how well can you do math? If you do well in math, but don't enjoy it, there are a number of professions that require a background in math (so you take a lot of math courses in college) but once you get out into the real world the actual job you get may not require much math at all. Business and Engineering are two fields that come to mind. Some jobs in these might require a lot of math while others, no so much. And there are jobs that require no math at all; Teaching (excluding math and science), social services might be two to consider.

Hope this helps.
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Sekharbabu’s Answer

Hi, First of all i see that you are saying professional sport is not realistic which is not true. It depends upon how good you are in that sport. Being just average will not make it through but if you are really good at sport, you should try to take it more seriously. Also as far as Mathematics is concerned, there are a lot of jobs but i see that you are not interested in that. So its better you not choose it. Also your career growth in maths depends upon how good you are at it in case you choose it.
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David’s Answer

I think it's great that you are being "realistic" about the possibility of being a professional athlete; perhaps your math intuition hints to you that the odds are not in your favor? Not that you should have a defeatist attitude about it--you should be able to judge for yourself your athletic ability against those you compete against at the state and national level (and perhaps worldwide, since you like tennis and soccer).

Strong math skills can take you in many directions, from science and engineering to all sorts of businesses. As for a sports tie-in, ever seen "Moneyball" with Brad Pitt? Statistical analysis of sports has become an industry in itself.

One other thing to consider is that a regular job is only 40 hours/week, less some vacation weeks. The rest of your waking hours are your own, to enjoy sports or anything else!
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