Yes, sports players are generally considered athletes because they participate in physical activities that require skill, training, conditioning, coordination, and competition. The terms “sports player” and “athlete” overlap significantly, but they are not always used in exactly the same way.
An athlete is broadly a person who trains for and participates in physical competition or sports. A sports player is someone who plays a particular sport. In everyday language, a professional basketball player, football player, baseball player, soccer player, tennis player, or hockey player would all normally be described as athletes.
However, the distinction can become more complicated when discussing activities that involve both physical and mental skills.
What Makes Someone an Athlete?
Being an athlete generally involves more than simply playing a sport occasionally.
Athletes typically develop physical and technical abilities through structured practice and training. Depending on the sport, they may work on:
- Strength
- Speed
- Endurance
- Agility
- Balance
- Coordination
- Flexibility
- Reaction time
- Sport-specific technique
- Mental preparation
Competitive athletes often follow training programs designed around the demands of their sport.
For example, a professional sprinter needs explosive speed and power, while a distance runner emphasizes endurance. A baseball player may focus on throwing, hitting, reaction time and rotational power, while a gymnast requires strength, flexibility, balance and body control.
All of these people can appropriately be described as athletes.
Are Professional Sports Players Athletes?
Yes. Professional sports players are athletes.
Professional players typically train extensively to maintain the physical and technical abilities required by their sport. Their careers can involve practices, strength and conditioning sessions, competition, recovery, nutrition and injury prevention.
For example, an NFL player is an athlete because football requires physical conditioning, coordination, strength, speed and sport-specific skills.
The same applies to professional players in sports such as:
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Tennis
- Golf
- Volleyball
- Swimming
- Track and field
- Boxing
- Wrestling
The specific physical demands differ, but competitive participation and specialized training are common characteristics.
Are Amateur Sports Players Athletes?
Yes.
Someone does not have to earn money or compete professionally to be an athlete.
A high school soccer player, college swimmer, recreational runner competing in races, or amateur tennis player can all be considered athletes.
The word athlete describes participation and training rather than a particular income level.
This is especially clear in school and college sports. Student-athletes participate in organized competition while also pursuing their education.
Are Youth Sports Players Athletes?
Yes. Children and teenagers who participate in organized sports can be described as young athletes.
Their training should be appropriate for their age and stage of development. Youth sports should emphasize skill development, enjoyment, safe participation and healthy physical activity rather than treating young players exactly like professional athletes.
A 12-year-old soccer player and a professional soccer player are both athletes, even though their training, competition and physical development are very different.
Is Every Person Who Plays a Sport an Athlete?
This depends on how broadly the word is being used.
In everyday conversation, someone who occasionally plays basketball with friends might not normally call themselves an athlete. Someone who regularly trains and competes might be more likely to use the term.
There is no universal rule saying that a person must train a certain number of hours or compete at a particular level before they qualify as an athlete.
The distinction is often based on context.
For example, someone might say:
“I play tennis recreationally, but I wouldn’t consider myself an athlete.”
Another person who trains several times a week and competes in tournaments might say:
“I’m a competitive tennis athlete.”
Both uses can make sense.
Are Athletes Only People Who Play Traditional Sports?
No.
The definition of athlete can extend beyond the most familiar team sports.
Athletes participate in many forms of competitive physical activity, including:
- Track and field
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Gymnastics
- Figure skating
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Martial arts
- Wrestling
- Rowing
- Weightlifting
These activities can require significant physical conditioning and specialized training.
Whether a particular activity is considered a sport can sometimes be debated, but participants in recognized competitive sports are commonly described as athletes.
Are Esports Players Athletes?
This question is more complicated.
Esports competitors can require substantial practice, concentration, reaction speed, teamwork and strategic decision-making. Some people therefore use the term athlete for esports competitors.
However, esports do not involve the same physical demands as traditional sports such as football, swimming or track and field.
Whether esports players are officially classified as athletes depends on the organization, jurisdiction or context being discussed.
So it is better not to assume that every esports organization or government uses the term in exactly the same way.
Are Golfers Athletes?
Yes.
Golfers are commonly considered athletes, particularly professional and competitive golfers.
Golf may not require the same type of continuous running found in sports such as soccer or basketball, but competitive golf involves physical skills such as balance, coordination, rotational power, flexibility and precise motor control.
Professional golfers also spend significant time practicing their swings and maintaining physical conditioning.
Are Race Car Drivers Athletes?
Race car drivers are also commonly described as athletes.
Motorsports require physical and mental abilities that may not be immediately obvious. Drivers can need strong concentration, rapid reaction times, coordination and the physical capacity to handle demanding conditions inside a race car.
Different motorsports place different demands on drivers, but professional drivers often use specialized fitness and conditioning programs.
Are Chess Players Athletes?
Chess presents a more unusual case.
Chess is generally classified as a sport by many organizations, and competitive chess requires intense concentration, strategic thinking and mental endurance. However, it does not involve physical athletic performance in the same way as running or basketball.
Whether chess players should be called athletes depends largely on the definition being used.
The word athlete is most commonly associated with physical sporting performance, while chess players are more often described simply as chess players or competitors.
What Is the Difference Between an Athlete and a Sports Player?
The terms are closely related but have slightly different emphasis.
A sports player specifically participates in a sport as a player.
An athlete is a broader term describing someone who participates in athletic competition or trains for physical sporting performance.
For example, a basketball player is both a sports player and an athlete.
The word athlete can also apply to competitors in activities where the term “player” is not normally used. A competitive swimmer is usually called a swimmer or athlete rather than a “swimming player.”
This is one reason athlete is the broader term.
Do Athletes Have to Be Professional?
No.
Professional status is not a requirement for being an athlete.
There are several levels of athletic participation:
| Level | Example |
|---|---|
| Recreational | Adult who regularly plays tennis |
| Youth | High school soccer player |
| Collegiate | College basketball player |
| Amateur | Competitive marathon runner |
| Professional | NFL or NBA player |
| Elite | Olympic-level competitor |
All of these people can be athletes, although their training and competitive levels differ greatly.
Why Are Sports Players Called Athletes?
Sports players are called athletes because many sports require a combination of physical preparation, technical skill and competitive performance.
An athlete usually spends time developing abilities that directly affect performance. Training can include conditioning, practice, strength work, recovery and mental preparation.
For professional players, athletic preparation is often a major part of their occupation.
A professional basketball player, for example, does not simply show up for games. The player may spend hours practicing shooting and ball handling, participating in team practices, lifting weights, performing conditioning exercises and recovering between competitions.
That broader training process is a major reason the term athlete applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are sports players considered athletes?
Yes. Most people who participate competitively in sports are considered athletes, particularly those who train regularly and compete at organized levels.
Is an athlete the same as a sports player?
Not exactly. The terms overlap, but athlete is broader. A basketball player is both a sports player and an athlete, while a competitive swimmer is usually called an athlete rather than a sports player.
Do you have to be professional to be an athlete?
No. Amateur, youth, high school, college and recreational competitors can all be described as athletes depending on the context.
Are football players athletes?
Yes. Football players are athletes because the sport requires physical conditioning, strength, speed, coordination, agility and sport-specific skills.
Are golfers athletes?
Yes. Competitive golfers are generally considered athletes because golf requires physical coordination, balance, flexibility, strength and precise motor skills.
Are esports players athletes?
The answer depends on the context. Esports competitors require significant skill, concentration and practice, but they do not face the same physical demands as traditional athletes. Different organizations may use the term differently.
Can a recreational sports player be an athlete?
Yes, although people use the word differently in everyday conversation. Someone who regularly trains and competes recreationally can reasonably describe themselves as an athlete.
Conclusion
Sports players are generally athletes because participating in sports often requires physical training, specialized skills, conditioning and competition. Professional players are clearly athletes, but a person does not have to compete professionally to use the term.
The main difference is that sports player identifies someone who plays a particular sport, while athlete is a broader term for someone who participates in athletic competition or trains for sporting performance.
Whether someone is a professional basketball player, college swimmer, amateur runner or competitive tennis player, the term athlete can apply as long as it fits the context.