This past weekend, I attended the Association of Women in Sports Media convention in Los Angeles and had an unforgettable — probably life-changing — experience.
Yes, that organization really exists, and its members include some of the best journalists — male of female — out there today.
And no, this isn’t about to be a feminist rant about equality or women in this particular industry. I’ve never had a problem working in a field that is dominated by men and have enjoyed working with (most of) my male colleagues, and I’ve never felt harshly discriminated against or downright disrespected because I happen to be female.
But that’s just it. The women that came before me are the reason why my life as a female sports journalist hasn’t been met with much resistance or criticism.
They churned out excellent day-to-day coverage and told compelling stories while overcoming numerous obstacles. They showed that women can intelligently cover sports and paved the way for young journalists.
To hear their stories of triumph and strength was more than inspiring and reaffirmed that I’m absolutely pursuing the right career.
It was the perfect time to receive that extra jolt of encouragement as a graduating senior, and it allowed me to reflect on my four years at ASU — three-and-a-half of which that have been spent at The State Press as both a sports reporter and then sports editor.
To put it simply — it’s been incredible.
I’m a Phoenix native and the daughter of two ASU graduates and rabid football fans, so I spent a good chunk of my childhood in Section 6 of Sun Devil Stadium idolizing players like Jake Plummer, Todd Heap, Andrew Walter and Pat Tillman. While it’s often been hard to put away my maroon and gold pom-poms and cover ASU athletics in an unbiased manner, the experience of getting an inside look at the athletic program of the school I’ve always loved has been nothing short of amazing.
Through this job, I’ve covered teams I had to become an expert on overnight (water polo) and ones I already knew like the back of my hand (football).
I’ve interviewed three 2009 first-round draft picks in James Harden, Briann January and Mike Leake that have already made an impact at the professional level.
I was sitting courtside in Trenton, N.J. when the women’s basketball team made an incredible Elite Eight run in 2009 and went Between the Hedges when the Sun Devils took on Georgia in Athens this past fall.
But more importantly, I’ve told stories that I’m proud of, learned more about people and this field than I ever thought I would and have established great relationships with coaches, athletes and media relations folks that I hope will last for years to come. I know I can walk away from this publication saying that I truly did everything in my power to serve the ASU community as best I could as a reporter and editor.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my experience at The State Press in some shape or form. It’s been more than I ever could have hoped for and is a part of my life that I will treasure forever.
