Sports journalism is one of the toughest areas of the profession to get a foothold in, as it attracts lots of applicants who want to earn a living covering their favourite pastimes and interests. Let’s look at some of the steps that could lead to making your dream a reality.
Sports journalism courses
At the outset, you will want to find a course that suits you and creates a pathway into the career you are hoping for. If you are looking for a sports journalism course, you will find them available from schools such as //schoolofjournalism.co.uk/journalism-courses/sports/.
Although journalism courses offer a wide variety of options if you want to report and comment on sports, you need to find one with an element that will help you gain the necessary skills to enter this competitive arena.
What is the next step?
Honing your writing and communication skills is a prerequisite. You might begin by creating a blog, publishing snippets online, or becoming a contributor to a university magazine or newspaper. This can involve reporting on events and matches or profiling players. You will also need to look at the current issues that drive reporting on your favoured sports.
Building a portfolio
If you have taken the first step, the next step is to make sure you create a portfolio. This will include reports, updates that show you are capable of skilfully using the internet and longer comment pieces.
Pitching your content to publishers, whether in print or online, is also important. Don’t be afraid to approach major employers in the media world, such as the BBC. Such employers offer training schemes during which you will experience creating sports content for TV channels, online, audio, and digital platforms.
Contacts and networking
As you research your pieces, make sure you maintain contacts and build your network. You also need to gather experience through either internships or expanding your freelance work.
To succeed in sports journalism, you have to have a tough skin and be prepared to receive criticism and rejection. Remember that these are part of the learning process.
