What does an athlete manager do?
Athlete manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real athlete manager resumes:
- Receive commendation from NCAA for managing national lacrosse championships
- Develop and implement strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
- Record and edit practice and game film in compliance with NCAA and conference standards.
- Coach and manager of the basketball and soccer teams.
- Coordinate youth flag football, fall baseball, and youth soccer leagues.
- Serve as liaison and point of contact between external and internal logistics organizations and maintenance organizations using effective communication skills.
- Perform fertilizing, spraying and various mowing tasks.
- Plant or maintain vegetation through activities such as mulching, fertilizing, watering, mowing, or pruning
- Provide feedback and coaching to student workers, other student managers, and Sodexo managers.
Athlete manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 32% of Athlete Managers are proficient in Athletic Events, NCAA, and Ticket Sales. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Leadership skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Athlete Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Athletic Events, 32%
Develop sponsorship initiatives and in-game promotions for collegiate athletic events.
- NCAA, 19%
Received commendation from NCAA for managing national lacrosse championships
- Ticket Sales, 9%
Collaborated with the coaching staff and athletic marketing team to boost ticket sales and fan experience.
- Athletic Directors, 7%
Conduct meetings with athletic directors, organize post-season tournament schedules, and ensure league bylaws are being followed.
- Athletic Equipment, 6%
Maintained strategic safety checks on all athletic equipment, and handled all correspondence between my supervisor and the athletic staff.
- Equipment Room, 5%
Maintained locker room, equipment room, and apparel and equipment inventory.
Most athlete managers use their skills in "athletic events," "ncaa," and "ticket sales" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential athlete manager responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an athlete manager to have is interpersonal skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "being able to relate to athletes helps coaches and scouts foster positive relationships with their current players and in recruiting potential players." Athlete managers often use interpersonal skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "assisted students with programming activities managed the register utilized interpersonal skills to provide excellent customer service"
Leadership skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling athlete manager duties is leadership skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "coaches must motivate, develop, and direct athletes to help them reach their potential." According to an athlete manager resume, here's how athlete managers can utilize leadership skills in their job responsibilities: "initiated increased self-development in leadership with various resources including seminars and books. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of athlete managers is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday athlete manager duties, as "because coaches instruct, organize, and motivate athletes, they must be able to convey information clearly." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "facilitated communication between students and upper management. "
The three companies that hire the most athlete managers are:
- Scheels3 athlete managers jobs
- Nike2 athlete managers jobs
- LA State University Continuing1 athlete managers jobs
Compare different athlete managers
Athlete manager vs. Head coach
A head coach is responsible for managing teams, monitoring each player's performance, conditioning the team's skills by conducting training sessions, and encouraging the trainees to reach their full potential. Head coaches assess the team's coordination during training or a game, adjusting strategies and improving techniques as needed. A head coach evaluates the team's strengths and weaknesses while educating them on the proper sports ethic. A head coach must have strong leadership and organizational skills to develop plans and reach set goals.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between athlete managers and head coach. For instance, athlete manager responsibilities require skills such as "athletic events," "event coordination," "ticket sales," and "athletic directors." Whereas a head coach is skilled in "cpr," "athletic program," "player development," and "softball." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Head coaches really shine in the education industry with an average salary of $47,322. Comparatively, athlete managers tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $46,832.On average, head coaches reach similar levels of education than athlete managers. Head coaches are 1.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.8% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Athlete manager vs. Swim coach
A swim coach is someone who teaches and trains people how to swim. A swim coach provides tips and techniques for people to follow if they want to learn how to swim. Demand for swimming teachers is growing, especially during summer where people travel to the beach and resorts to enjoy their vacations. A swim coach should know how to determine a student's skill, provide suitable teaching methods, and enhance the student's current swimming skill through specialized and customized swimming lessons.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that athlete manager responsibilities requires skills like "athletic events," "ncaa," "event coordination," and "ticket sales." But a swim coach might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "cpr," "customer service," "lifeguard," and "kids."
Swim coaches may earn a lower salary than athlete managers, but swim coaches earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $35,539. On the other hand, athlete managers receive higher pay in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $46,832.In general, swim coaches achieve similar levels of education than athlete managers. They're 3.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Athlete manager vs. Coach
The main responsibility of a coach is to motivate an individual or an entire team. Coaches are focused on improving the performance and skills of athletes by conducting training sessions, coordinating practice drills, and providing guidance. Their work is conducted both on and off the field - not only while an athletic event is in session. Coaches are sometimes tasked with recruitment activities in order to fill a team's roster to help them succeed. Other duties of a coach include fundraising, overseeing facilities, and promoting a safe environment.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from athlete manager resumes include skills like "athletic events," "event coordination," "ticket sales," and "athletic directors," whereas a coach is more likely to list skills in "customer service," "cpr," "food handling," and "safety rules. "
Coaches make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $48,931. On the other hand, athlete managers are paid the highest salary in the government industry, with average annual pay of $46,832.coaches typically earn similar educational levels compared to athlete managers. Specifically, they're 1.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Athlete manager vs. Scout
There are different types of scout based on the organization or workplace. There are sports scouts, talent scouts, and athletic scouts. Their role is to travel to various events and evaluate the performances of people taking part in different activities, and determining if their skills and talent are required in the scout organization.
Types of athlete manager
Updated January 8, 2025
