Women begin to make large impact in sports media
Posted by The Skyliner on February 17th, 2010Jessicah Peters
Staff Writer
When young women do not consider sports to be important, it is a discredit to the history of women involved in enhancing the fields of sports.
Personally, I have always been amazed by accomplishments of women in sports. One of my dreams as a little girl was to become editor-in-chief of Sports Illustrated. As I took an interest in ESPN and other sports affiliates, I began to wonder how women became more involved with sports media.
In 1987, Nancy Cooney, Susan Fornoff, Michele Himmelberg and Krisitin Huckshorn from California, established the Association for Women in Sports Media, which improved opportunities for women who wanted a career in sports writing, broadcasting and media relations.
In recent years, more women have stepped into the spotlight of sports reporting across the nation. Here at North Greenville University, there are many ways for young women to step into the sports media. For example, Katelyn Harris, sophomore sports management, is one of three female sportscasters for Crusaders Weekly Sports Review.
She said she got involved with the show when Micah Sepko, Assistant Athletic Director for Operations and Sports Information, persuaded her to give it a try. He encouraged her to see if it was something she would become good at.
Harris wanted to be part of the foundation of something that could become bigger and better over the years as NGU grows. She also commented on the importance of women’s involvement with sports, believing that it teaches hard work and gives women more respect.
“When someone thinks of a sports broadcaster or journalist they think male. The competitive position that women play in sports is beginning to carry over into the workplace . . . thanks to ladies like the ones on ESPN,” said Harris.
Leah Ward, sophomore sport management, is also involved with the Crusader sports weekly review and said, “We [women] get people’s attention and if guys actually listen, we know what we’re talking about. There are a lot of very athletic women that deserve to be honored for their talent.”
The role of sports reporter has definitely shifted from a male-dominated field to a more equal amount of men and women. The AWSM acknowledges women who serve as role models in sports media with an annual award, the Mary Garber Pioneer Award.
Mary Garber said, after winning the Red Smith Award in 2005, “I hope I have helped. I hope some little girl out there knows now that she can be a sportswriter if she wants to be.”
The Mary Garber Pioneer Award was first given to Lisley Visser in 1999. She is the first female NFL analyst on television, and also the only sportscaster in history who has worked Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Figure Championship and the U.S. Open. Visser was voted No.1 Female Sportscaster of All-Time and was the first and only woman enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Her awards and honors are extensive and much deserved.
Sean McManus, President of CBS News and Sports, said, “Lesley Visser’s career has broken many barriers and defined previously unimagined roles for woman in professional sports and sports broadcasting.”
As a young female writer trying to establish a career in journalism, Visser is a role model not only for me, but also for any woman seeking a career in sports media.
Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 4