The only way to become a professional athlete is to want it bad enough that you are willing to spend every moment of your life devoted to your goals. Professional athletes spend the majority of their time actively training. When they are not actively training they are thinking about how they can improve. They eat right and stay fit.
Most professional athletes have known from a very young age what they wanted from their lives. They begin training young and work towards the goal of becoming a professional athlete their entire lives. Realizing that loving the sport that is your passion is not all that it takes. Understanding that it takes dedication, devotion, and hard work to become a professional is the beginning.
Starting young with private lessons, school teams, and a lot of training at home on your own time will get you going in the right direction. High school and college teams will also help you along the way. In fact, most athletes are found through talent scouts that visit high school and college teams to find potential members of professional teams.
Be honest with yourself and critique your own style. Listen to the constructive criticism of others to better yourself. Improving yourself takes discipline and humility. Learning what you need to fix and being willing to change to fix it is important to becoming the best athlete you can be.
Other than physical skill, it is also important to have the frame of mind to make it big. Becoming a professional takes a lot of mental strength as well. Be determined to become and stay a good role model for the next generation of rising stars.