Working in an industry of a sport you have loved all your life is exactly what David Newbery did. Find out how he has made a living with his love of soccer.  – Sarah

What attracted you to the field of fitness and exercise? I am one of the fortunate individuals who has had the opportunity to work in an industry I have always been passionate about – Soccer.  Growing up in England with soccer being a significant part of my life and continued my interest in sport and education through my graduate and post graduate studies.  When I started my professional work career I taught Sports Science and Pedagogy to University students, but after 3 years realized I was more suited for the business environment than higher education.  Since 2000, I have been working in the USA in a variety of operations and business development roles.  Now days I have the privilege of advising and supporting youth soccer clubs throughout the USA and in other parts of the world.

Your Job Title? Coordinator, Club Standards Project

Company you are with now? National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) – with over 32,000 members the NSCAA is the largest coaching organization in the world.

Website: www.nscaa.com

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you. When I’m not travelling to assess youth soccer clubs I’m working from my home office in Rhode Island writing reports and promoting our efforts to raise the level of performance of youth organizations – One club at a time.

How did you get your current job in fitness and exercise? After many years working in the industry, I developed an assessment tool to evaluate the performance of a club in 3 primary areas of functionality, namely, player development, coaching and administration.  Over the past 4 years I have completed over 80 evaluations and was approached by the NSCAA to launch a national initiative in 2012.

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way? The way I approach work today is shaped almost entirely by the experiences I’ve had in my adult life.  There have certainly been some good times during my career when the businesses have grown and profited, but on reflection I have learned more about business and people during the tough times.  I have always been a hard worker and never shy to share an opinion, but as the years have passed, I have learned to become a much better listener.  In my consultant role I found it all too easy to jump in and give opinions, but in recent years I have found a more reserved and tempered approach is more successful.  Allowing others to take some credit for your ideas often creates buy-in and helps to move the agenda along much faster.

Of course there are traits and behaviors developed during childhood, and I’m sure I have my parents to thank for a strong moral compass, entrepreneurial spirit and a strong desire to improve my performance.  My parents where truly outstanding role models.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you? It is important to find a job you enjoy doing, but you must simultaneously commit significant time and effort to achieve your career goals.  I feel that persevering through tough moments in a career and learning from these times is crucial.  Rarely in my life have I met successful individuals without a few ups and downs.

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what would it be? Wow … a difficult question to answer!  Assuming my family had a roof over their heads and food to eat, I would probably have to choose tickets to sporting major events such as the cricket test match between England  and Australia in Australia, the rugby world cup in the southern hemisphere and the football world cup in 2014 in Brazil.

Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN, is a Registered Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist specializing in Weight Management and Sports Nutrition for youth and adults. She writes articles for multiple publications, provides customized nutrition coaching, and is a brand spokesperson. She is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta.Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.