You don’t need a degree if you want to start as an athlete, but some professions require a bachelor’s degree.
If you want to become a professional athlete, you will have to start at a young age and you’ll need to practice a lot, especially if you want to move towards a professional level.
Keep in mind that you will need many years of training before becoming a professional athlete or sports competitor.
Athletic trainers need at least a bachelor’s degree, and sometimes they also need a license.