What Inspires and Scares Me About Becoming a Sports Reporter
Image by The Climate Reality Project via Unsplash
By Jessica Elliott
Over the years, I’ve been very indecisive about what I want to do in life, but when I finally landed on sports journalism I started doing some research into the industry. The sports industry has traditionally been a male-dominated field, with fewer opportunities for women to thrive than men. In recent years, there has been a shift though and we have seen greater acceptance for female journalists, footballers, and fans. This has been caused by a range of things, such as the growing enjoyment of women’s football around the world and the campaigns dedicated to increasing the representation of women in the media. The women that have entered the field have shown me that with determination, and passion, anything is possible, and they have quickly become some of my biggest inspirations.
Alex Scott is a huge inspiration to me and the person that I had to mention first. She completed a degree in professional sports writing and broadcasting while she was at the 2015 World Cup, and since then, she has made constant appearances on major sports networks, becoming the first women of colour to cover mens football in the top English division. She has never let the misogyny and hatred affect her and she continues to be actively involved in punditry, proving herself to be a great inspiration for women all around the country.
Jacqui Oatley broke into the football industry in 2007, becoming the first woman to commentate on Match of the Day. She received a lot of negative comments online, with people claiming that she didn’t have enough football knowledge to be on a show like MOTD. She has spoken out against the online abuse that she was a victim of, and was an important part of making the world aware of the sexism in the industry. She has called for the industry to be more inclusive, and her story is inspirational to so many women.
“If you’re good enough, there won’t be anything that can stand in your way,” is a quote that came from the journalist Emma Smith. She began working at football website Goal four months after she publicly came out as transgender, and this was understandably difficult.She is making a career for herself on her own terms, which is incredible to see as a fellow trans woman. “If you’re good enough, there won’t be anything that can stand in your way,’ is a powerful quote from Emma that resonates with me and so many others. It can be hard seeing all of the transphobia that is still rampant on social media but there are always communities willing to accept people for who they are, and thankfully, the sports industry is starting to change for the better in this regard.
As a woman hoping to break into the industry, it can often feel like an uphill battle, however, the women that have come before prove to be huge inspirations and have shown us that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. If you are embarking on your journey in the industry, allow yourself to be inspired by these women and their fantastic achievements. Let these inspiring peoples' successes fuel the fire inside of us and push us to make our mark in the industry.