Jobs In The Industry

So I'm in high school, and the college search has begun. At the moment I'm really at a loss from what I want to major in/pursue as my career. My dedication and passion for cheer really has me going back to careers in the cheerleading industry. I'm open to anyone involved; coaches, gym owners, uniform companies, varsity employees, cheer magazine employees, etc. How much do you make? Do you have a job on the side? What did you major in in college? I know this is very broad but I'm open to anything. Thank you!

 

My cheer coach owns her own gym, and in college she majored in athletic training and something to do with business I think! She's very successful and intelligent! She has a job on the side too, at a middle school tutoring kids (I believe). Hope this helped!

 

If you want to make more money, you're better off looking into a career involving sports in general. I loved cheerleading but the industry is small in comparison to others. I'm going to school to be a lawyer but my focus is corporate sports law. So I'm still involved in what I love but able to branch out a lot more.

 

Well I probably won't be much help but, I'm in the same boat as you! I'm going to be a senior & right now i'm looking to major in business management & hopefully open my own gym one day

 

Coming from someone who has built themselves up from scratch in the cheerleading music industry, I have to say just find what you're passionate about in cheerleading and pursue it full force. A degree related to sports could definitely be helpful. Just kind of stick to the direction you're leaning in with your degree. Example: If you'd like to work in a cheer magazine go to school for journalism, etc. If you work toward your goal and are passionate about what you're doing for a living you'll never look back. =)

 

Uniforms, choreo, judging, bow business, practice wear, music, event organizer

 

I'm a sophomore in college now and I plan on opening my own gym someday (fingers crossed) and I'm a double major now: Marketing and Sport Management. Sport Managment is a blast and it's definitely helped me a lot already processing how to run a sports facility. So if you can find a Sports Management program somewhere I highly recommend it.

 

I graduated with 2 majors and 2 classes shy of a third and other than having a degree probably contributing to being able to a loan. I use almost nothing of what I learned in class, and I've opened my own fairly successful gym 4.5 years ago. Honestly you'd probably get more out of working/apprenticing in whatever you want to do and you still have the option of going to whatever college is there if you want.

 

My degree is in Recreation & Leisure and I actually have used some of what I learned in school! (Shocking, I know.) I've worked as an Allstar Program Director for a large gym as well as a Championships Director for a mid-sized event producer.

 

I haven't heard of that major but it sounds awesome!

 

What's Recreation and Leisure??

 

LOL! Some schools refer to it as Tourism or Hospitality management. Education in the fields of parks & recreation, recreation providers (think YMCA's & Boys and Girls Clubs plus private providers like gymnastics gyms, golf courses, ski resorts, etc.), travel & tourism providers. Basically fun, enjoyable work.

 

Ohhhh okay! That's what I though, but I wasn't sure! Neat!

 

My degree is in Sports Management, although it was based more on the Recreation & Leisure platform, just like 4everSPIRITed. That was the best decision of my life. It was a great program, and almost everything I learned I could relate back to cheerleading. My professors knew I wanted a career in the industry, so all of my projects were cheerleading based. If this is something you are interested in, look into the PRTM degree at Clemson University (its a top 3 program nationally).

As a Varsity employee, I highly recommend working as camp staff to get your foot in the door. I did UCA staff for five years, and I wouldn't be where I am today without it. I would say most people that work for Varsity did some sort of camp staff before working full time for the company. Plus, working staff is SO. MUCH. FUN! I asked this same exact question on Pro X six or seven years ago, and after finding out the right path for me, I'm as happy as can be.

 

WHOA tiger is right. While a business degree certainly couldn't hurt, everything I learned in my program in school was in direct coorelation to what I needed to run a cheer gym and then to work for an EP. Getting your foot in the door working summer staff, or even event staff, is a must in this industry it seems.