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Wanted -Football player.

Hopefully, this year's graduates are putting thought into what career to be learned in college, rather than hoping to end up a professional athlete. According to the United States Department of Labor, the odds of becoming a professional athlete, althrough improving, aren't very good.

In 2004, about 212,000 jobs were held in sports by athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers. Coaches and scouts accounted for 178,000 of those jobs and athletes just 17,000. Officials such as umpires or referees, accounted for 16,000 of the jobs.

Nearly 37 percent of the above jobs, were considered to be part-time, and many officials and coaches receive such small and irregular payments for their services, that they aren't even considered employees.

Of the regular paying jobs, 30 percent of the jobs were in private educations services. About 15 percent were in amusement, gambling and recreation industries like golf and tennis clubs.

About 25 percent of the workers were self-employed, earning prize money or fees for service.

The Labor outfit does say the job outlook for sports is looking good and need for these workers is expected to increase faster than average, for all occupations through 2014. It says employment will grow as the general public continues to participate in organized sports for entertainment, recreation and physical conditioning.

Opportunities to make a living as a professional in individual sports, such as golf or tennis, may gorw as new tournaments are established and prize money distributed to participants increases. However, because most professional athletes' careers last only a few years due to debilitating injuries and age, annual turnover in thses jobs is high.

The Department says oportunities are best for persons seeking part-time employment at the high school level. Competition should be very keen for jobs as scouts, particularly for professional teams, because the number of available positions is limited.

Ê If you know someone taking their sports career to the next level, whether is be college or pro, tell us about it at sports@michigannewspapers.com