Professional Athlete

A Professional Athlete plays a sport as their job, like soccer, swimming, tennis or basketball. On a regular day they stretch, run, lift weights and practice the same move again and again, like kicking a ball into the corner of the net. They work with coaches, who give tips, and with teammates, who pass, cheer and solve problems together. For example, a swimmer might watch a video with their coach to figure out how to turn faster at the wall.

When athletes play, people gather to watch, clap and feel excited together, in a big stadium or around a TV at home. Athletes also show how practice really works: they try something hard, miss, and try again until it gets better. Many kids see that and want to run outside and kick, swim or jump too. That is how one game can get a whole neighborhood moving.