How to Improve Your Sports Career Cover Letter

Your sports job cover letter is a communication tool to allow you to introduce yourself to the hiring manager or recruiter. Your cover letter is a description of your career, whereas your resume is an outline of it. Yes, anyone can glance at your resume and get a sense of your qualifications and employment record. A cover letter delves further, though, allowing you to highlight your strengths and skills better. An attention-grabbing cover letter is incredibly valuable. 

Here are four ways to bolster a sports cover letter, followed by a sample cover letter for sports jobs. Finally, we will broaden the discussion to four general recommendations for captivating cover letters and a powerful networking approach.

4 Overall Tips For A Sports Job Cover Letter

Here are four ways to communicate your enthusiasm and alignment with open sports jobs through an optimized cover letter:

#1. Focus attention: Less is more.

Never forget that your cover letter is an advertisement, with you as the product. Think of a radio or TV ad: it does not simply rattle off a list of the brand’s achievements. Maybe one or two awards or recognitions might be mentioned. Do the same. By focusing on specific accomplishments, you can better develop the story and granular contributions you made specific to those successes. 

Customize. Filter achievements within a cover letter for a sports job to the most important ones. If you want to get a job in a sports information office, you might mention an honor from the College Sports Information Directors Association. 

#2. Make it personal.

Your cover letter should convey your core strengths. If your primary skill is creativity, that should be clear in your letter. If your key strength is organizing, that should be evident.

You can also talk about yourself a bit more thoroughly. While your resume may be limited to saying that you “earned the ‘All-State’ designation in baseball,” your cover letter allows you to expound (within reason).

#3. Cite your connections.

Be sure to mention how you are associated with the organization. It also helps to let people who know you know that you are applying. For example, if you worked in the ticket office at a sports team five years ago, the person hiring may not recognize your name. By stating your history with the organization, the person looking over your documents will have that information and be able to contact your old colleagues.

#4. Tweak your letter for each position.

The tweak may be a light word in this case: you may need to write virtually from scratch, depending on the position. Look at what they list as qualifications and state your fitness to each of them. Discuss relevant accomplishments. 

You can take advantage of this situation to say why you believe that an exception should be made to a certain requirement. If you have less experience than they require, mention your experience and other related recognitions. For example, you might mention that you only have a few years of analytics experience but that your experience as a college player makes you better at decoding data patterns.

Your resume should be adjusted in many cases too. Present yourself with the utmost relevance to each professional who looks over your package, and you will focus their attention ideally.

Sample Cover Letter For Sports Jobs

Tips help, but many people can better understand how to write a sports job cover letter by seeing a sample. Here is one:

Advay Suri
3800 Actual Street
Indianapolis, IN 46201
317-555-5309
asuri@emailserviceextraordinaire.com
linkedin.com/in/advaysuri86
February 10, 2021
Mr. Lyle Southpaw, Manager

The Memphis Marvels
472 Homerun Blvd.
Memphis, TN 37501

Dear Mr. Southpaw:

I am incredibly intrigued by the Memphis Marvels outfield coach position that has become available. 

I have held the head baseball coach position at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, for nine years. During that time, my teams achieved seven regional championships and three 5A state championships. I have built a powerful legacy at the institution, preparing more than 100 players who have played in college and pro baseball.

While I have enjoyed working with teenagers who are readying to launch, I yearn for the world of minor league baseball and its exhilarating summers. I played left field for the Memphis Marvels from 2006 through 2009, winning a Rawlings Gold Glove Award® in 2008. I would be a valuable asset to your coaching staff as the Marvels’ outfield coach. I would love to join and travel with the team this season and ongoing.

I am deeply concerned with the needs of each player. My passion for the sport is contagious, and I help players recenter based on their challenges and strengths. By narrowing in on individual situations and potential growth areas, I can improve the outfield player by player.

I appreciate you taking the time to consider me. I would be happy to submit any other materials you want. I will do my best to make any interview time you suggest.

Sincerely,
Coach Advay Suri

4 Ways To Make Cover Letters Captivating 

Let’s broaden our view now and discuss excellence in cover letters. How can you make yours really shine? Here are four tips:

#1. Talk about your soft skills.

Make sure that you do not just mention numbers. A sports job’s cover letter is the best place to address creative thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. Provide examples of these soft skills.

#2. Give explanations for any work gaps.

A sports job cover letter is a great place to offer explanations for any weaknesses in your history. If you stepped away from work for several years, discuss insights and skills you developed during that time that are applicable. If you extended your education, discuss why you took that route.

#3. Ask for an interview.

If you want to meet with them, say it. It shows your confidence and excitement.

#4. Proofread carefully.

Carefully check your letter for any errors. Share it with a friend and someone in the industry if you can for suggested improvements.

Beyond A Sports Job Cover Letter

You can have the best cover letter in the world, but your connections will enhance your chances. At JobsInSports.com, we offer the network to help you win your career. Join our network today and connect and network with top sports organizations across the nation.