University of Oregon alumna Sue Favor Skyped in with our chapter last week to discuss her passion for women’s hoops, the website she created and the steps she took to differentiate herself in the sports industry.
Five takeaways from Sue:
1 – Get to know the community you are covering. As a journalist, records and top scorers are important, but understanding and implementing the human angle makes your story relatable to the residents reading your work.
2 – Be prepared when conducting interviews. If you only use one or two sources, you will only capture a small portion of the story you’re covering.
3 – When you cover a game, make it a priority to create relationships with the sports information director.
4 – Don’t get mad – “Keep your cool and don’t say anything even though you know you’re right.”
5 – On the topic of overcoming (in the moment) sexism and just rough-around-the-edges individuals: “It always pays to stay professional. Kill them with a smile and be assertive.”