A lot of high school students who love sports assume that their only future is playing. But most sports careers happen off the field. Internships are one of the fastest ways to see what those careers look like, without needing a college degree first.
Sports internships can place you in environments like athletic departments, sports camps, youth leagues, sports nonprofits, training facilities, or sports media teams. You might help with registration, event planning, content creation, equipment handling, basic stats tracking, or office support.
Why should you choose a sports internship?
A sports internship gives you experience that is hard to get through school clubs alone. It helps you build confidence in professional settings and gives you real examples of responsibility, teamwork, and communication. It also helps you decide early whether you want to pursue sports business, sports science, coaching, or media work.
Internships also strengthen college applications because they show follow-through. You can talk about what you did, what you learned, and how the experience shaped your plans. Even a short internship can give you a much clearer direction.
With that, here are 15 sports internships for high school students worth checking out! You can also check out our guides on kinesiology summer programs here!
15 Sports Internship for High School Students
1. Stanford Athletics Camps – Summer Sports Camps
Location: Stanford University campus, Stanford, CA
Cost: Varies by sport and session; fees depend on individual camp selections
Dates: Multiple summer sessions across June, July, and August
Application Deadline: Varies by sport and session, typically registration opens early and camps fill quickly
Eligibility: Youth and high school athletes (ages and grade levels vary by sport)
Stanford Athletics Camps are sport-specific training camps run through Stanford’s athletics department across more than 20 sports. The structure is simple. You show up, train daily, do drills, play competitive sets or scrimmages, and get coached feedback based on your position and skill level. Many camps also include conditioning routines and performance habits, because that is how college programs operate. The value is the volume of reps and being coached in a college facility environment.
2. Sports Management Internships with the South Burlington Dolphins
Location: South Burlington, Vermont
Cost: Not specified
Dates: Summer: June 2 – August 1; Fall: August 11 – November 8
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 and college students
South Burlington Dolphins Sports Management Internships are built around helping a youth sports nonprofit run its season. You can work on operations, which usually means equipment, schedules, fundraising support, and game day logistics. If you pick a media track, you handle marketing, social media, and basic content tied to team events. They also offer roles like broadcasting support, summer camp counseling, student management, and student refereeing, so the program is flexible depending on what you want to try. You are working with real coaches and administrators, not a classroom instructor.
3. Metro Parks Tacoma Coaching and Sports Management Internship
Location: Metro Parks Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington State
Cost: Free. A stipend of up to $500 is paid
Dates: 10 to 12 weeks during summer, winter/spring, or fall
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Tacoma public schools students ages 15 and older
Metro Parks Tacoma Coaching and Sports Management Internship is a paid internship where you coach youth teams while also supporting the program’s admin work. You can be placed in sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball, football, and others, depending on the season. Coaching is the main responsibility, usually at least two evenings per week plus games, so you are expected to show up consistently. On the operations side, you help with season planning, recruiting for future sessions, completing program reports, and organizing end-of-season banquets. This is closer to a real entry-level sports job than most student programs.
4. Wharton Global Youth – Sports Business Academy
Location: Online
Cost: $4,799
Dates: July 6-24
Application Deadline: Priority: January 28. Final: March 18
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 10–11
Wharton Global Youth Sports Business Academy focuses on how sports actually work as an industry. You spend your time looking at how leagues are structured, where money comes from, how media rights are sold, and how teams build fan demand through marketing. The case discussions also get into labor and contracts, which is where the business side becomes real fast. You work with other people on a capstone where you break down a newer league and make a clear recommendation using basic strategy tools like SWOT.
5. San Diego Sockers Internships
Location: San Diego, California
Cost: Free
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school and college students
The San Diego Sockers Internships let you work with a professional indoor soccer organization across departments like ticketing, marketing, communications, merchandising, and game day operations. The work is hands-on and event-heavy, meaning you will likely be supporting staff before and during games, helping with promotions, and assisting with the behind-the-scenes tasks that keep a match running. Since it is unpaid, it is mainly for students who want exposure to how a pro team runs its business side. They also have a fan ambassador volunteer option that focuses more on direct fan interaction.
6. Athletes First Internships
Location: Laguna Hills, California | Atlanta, Georgia
Cost: Paid internship (amount not specified)
Dates: Sept 2-Dec 20 (Fall)
Application Deadline: Fall internships open June 9
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors and college students who are at least 18 years old
Athletes First offers paid internships that introduce you to the business and operational side of elite sports representation. You can work across departments that support professional athletes, coaches, and media talent, with roles that align closely with sports management careers. In client relations, you focus on brand outreach, industry research, travel coordination, and developing client-facing resources. In football operations, you assist with reporting on NFL injuries, preparing internal reports, supporting contract analysis, and handling event logistics and administrative tasks. The internship focuses on exposure to real agency workflows rather than classroom-style learning. Available roles vary by season, so responsibilities may shift depending on organizational needs.
7. Flag Star Football Sports Business Internship
Location: Washington, D.C. area
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: Ten-session program spanning approximately four months
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Business-minded young adults ages 15-24, including high school students, college students, and recent graduates
The Flag Star Football Sports Business Internship is a ten-session paid program where you shadow day-to-day operations and growth strategy while working under executives from Monumental Sports and Entertainment. You gain exposure to all facets of sports business, including start-up strategy, communication, marketing, finance, operations, growth, and charitable/nonprofit work. The program includes guest lectures from local sports industry executives, giving you direct access to area leaders in the field. This internship is designed for students who want hands-on learning and a meaningful step toward their professional futures in sports business.
8. CSMG Summer Internships
Location: Not specified (program administered by CSMG)
Cost: Full-time internships offer a salary stipend; part-time internships are unpaid
Dates: Mid-May to mid-August (full-time) | Mid-May to early August (part-time)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Part-time roles open to high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors
CSMG’s summer internships are structured sports management experiences focused on operations, supervision, and event support. In the full-time track, you work 5–7 days per week in roles such as operations, social media, or sport supervision, contributing over 500 total hours across programs and events. Part-time interns commit 250–300 hours with a flexible schedule while supporting similar day-to-day functions. Responsibilities often include overseeing sports activities, assisting with logistics, coordinating participants, and supporting staff during live programs. Both tracks meet academic credit requirements and include CPR and First Aid certification as part of the experience.
9. High School Summer Discovery: Sports Business Academy at UCLA Anderson
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, California
Cost: $4194–$14,099, depending on commuter or residential option and program length
Dates: Multiple 2- or 3-week sessions available during the summer (June to August)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Domestic and international high school students in grades 9–12
The Sports Business Academy at UCLA Anderson introduces you to how the modern sports industry operates from a business and economic perspective. You study core frameworks in finance, economics, marketing, and strategy through lectures, case studies, and applied workshops. The curriculum emphasizes how teams, leagues, and sports organizations make revenue decisions, manage costs, and respond to industry shifts. You work on hands-on projects that mirror real sports business challenges, often tied to professional franchises and major events. The program also includes site visits and behind-the-scenes exposure to arenas and stadiums in the Los Angeles sports market. Throughout the session, you engage with professionals working across sports management, media, and operations to better understand career pathways in the field.
10. Roc Nation Sports Management Academy at Long Island University
Location: Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York
Cost: $900
Dates: July 13–17 or July 20-24
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students ages 15–17
The Roc Nation Sports Management Academy introduces you to how sports representation, branding, and operations work within a global entertainment company. You study topics such as athlete representation, contract negotiation, venue management, and sports marketing through case-based sessions and applied exercises. The program emphasizes experiential learning, with simulations that model signing athletes, promoting teams, and managing sports programs. You also examine emerging areas like esports and fantasy sports to understand how technology and media are reshaping the industry. Guest sessions with athletes and industry professionals provide insight into real career paths in sports management.
11. National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) Sports Management High School Summer Program
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY, or Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost: $4,595 (Columbia) | $4,395 (Duke); scholarships available
Dates: June 12–20 | June 24–July 2 | July 6–14 | July18-Julyl 26
Application Deadline: Rolling until programs are full
Eligibility: High school students
NSLC’s Sports Management program gives you a structured introduction to careers at the intersection of athletics, business, and leadership. You examine topics such as athlete and client management, sports marketing, public relations, sponsorship strategy, and the role of sports in social impact initiatives. Learning is centered on simulations, workshops, and applied activities that mirror real decision-making in the sports industry. You also build transferable skills through sessions on networking, resume development, interviewing, and public speaking. The program includes site visits and tours connected to professional and collegiate sports organizations, depending on location.
12. Sports Management Summer Program at Suffolk University
Location: Suffolk University, Boston, MA
Cost: Free; daily lunch and a local subway or bus pass included (housing not provided)
Dates: July 7–24
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
This free summer program at Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School introduces you to how professional sports organizations operate on the business side. You study topics such as team operations, sports marketing, and career pathways in the sports industry through lectures, workshops, simulations, and collaborative projects. The curriculum emphasizes applied learning, with group activities that mirror real-world decision-making in sports management roles. You also hear directly from professionals through guest talks and industry-led sessions. The program includes multiple site visits to sports, fitness, and sports technology organizations across the Boston area.
13. Rutgers Pre-College Physical Therapy Summer Academy
Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: $3,784 (residential) | $4,804 (commuter, out-of-state)
Dates: July 12-18; July 26-August 1
Application Deadline: May 24; April 12
Eligibility: Ages 16–18; minimum 3.0 GPA; English language proficiency required
The Rutgers Pre-College Physical Therapy Summer Academy introduces you to physical therapy through the lens of exercise science and kinesiology. You explore how movement, injury, and rehabilitation are studied through guided visits to Functional Human Anatomy Labs and the Rutgers Doctor of Physical Therapy program campus. The program outlines the undergraduate coursework typically required for kinesiology and physical therapy pathways, helping you understand academic expectations early. You interact with faculty, practicing professionals, and current DPT students to gain insight into clinical training and career trajectories. You earn 1.5 college credits applicable toward Rutgers’ Foundations of Kinesiology and Health course.
14. Miami Summer Scholars Program: Sports Medicine
Location: University of Miami campus, Coral Gables, FL
Cost: Not specified
Dates: June 27–July 17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors; minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
The University of Miami Summer Scholars Program in Sports Medicine lets you study the scientific and applied foundations of athletic health and performance through college-level coursework. You take classes such as Sport Administration and Sport Medicine, focusing on injury identification, basic treatment methods, biomechanics, and performance-focused nutrition. Instruction emphasizes how training, movement, and physiology interact in both clinical and athletic settings. You gain exposure to practical skills like injury prevention strategies, taping and bracing concepts, and exercise prescription. Each course offers 3 college credits, allowing you to earn transferable academic credit while exploring sports medicine.
15. Boston Leadership Institute: Introduction to Sports Medicine
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: N/A
Dates: June 15-19
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Boston Leadership Academy’s Introduction to Sports Medicine is a short program that introduces key sports medicine areas through focused lessons. You cover physical therapy, orthopedics, concussion research, surgical approaches, and rehabilitation basics. The content is designed to show how injuries are evaluated, how recovery is planned, and how performance is protected over time. Since it is only one week, it works more like an introduction than a deep training program. It is still useful if you want an early overview before applying to longer sports medicine programs.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like sports analytics, sports analysis, or sports science, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – University of Miami