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The differences between athletes and basketball coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an athlete and a basketball coach. Additionally, an athlete has an average salary of $51,729, which is higher than the $44,858 average annual salary of a basketball coach.
The top three skills for an athlete include team-oriented environment, math and apparel. The most important skills for a basketball coach are CPR, student athletes, and role model.
An athlete specializes and competes in a particular sport as an individual or part of a team. Mentored by a coach or instructor, an athlete undergoes rigorous training and practices, even as professionals in the league, to develop and maintain skills. One must assess every competition or performance to learn areas that need improvement, maintain a healthy physique, and even serve as an advocate. Furthermore, it is vital to abide by the sport's rules and regulations and uphold healthy sportsmanship.
A basketball coach is responsible for training players for school or basketball tournament leagues. A basketball coach prepares the players by providing them game techniques, developing their maximum potential through a series of practice and games. Basketball coaches identify each player's strengths and weaknesses, creating unique strategies during the mentorship. They must be highly knowledgeable of basketball's disciplines and rules, guiding them to improve their stance and movement. A basketball coach must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling the team's performance.
Athletes and basketball coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Athlete | Basketball Coach | |
| Average salary | $51,729 | $44,858 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $108,000 | Between $29,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | Success Academy Charter Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an athlete and a basketball coach in terms of educational background:
| Athlete | Basketball Coach | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between athletes' and basketball coaches' demographics:
| Athlete | Basketball Coach | |
| Average age | 36 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 3.7% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 8% |