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What's the key to becomung a successful sports journalist ?

I am thinking of going into journalism , and a scholarship website I'm browsing is offering a scholarship if I ask my questions on this website. I think its a good idea for me to ask my presumably dumb questions if it means a chance for a scholarship ! #college-major #ceo

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Thank you comment icon Spelling words correctly is definitely a first step. Thaddeus
Thank you comment icon @Thaddeus: Let's celebrate Kayla not put her down! If you want to make spelling suggestions, that's cool, but let's keep things encouraging. Amiright? Jared Chung, Admin
Thank you comment icon <a href="/users/82/kaylaoppnet2013/">@Kayla</a>: You're going to get much better responses if you write down why you're interested in becoming a sports journalist! Right now your note sort of comes across as being insincere or reluctant to ask a career question. But this is a great opportunity for you so definitely take advantage of it by putting your best foot forward! Besides, the scholarship you mentioned is for students with a strong interest in a future in the industry, so it won't apply if you aren't actually interested in the industry! Jared Chung, Admin
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Zuri’s Answer

I was a sports writer for 10 years and covered professional football for three seasons. A few things:


1) You have to be a good writer, even if you just want to appear on air. Not an OK writer. A good writer. Make sure you're checking for spelling mistakes (I see one in the question) and always check your grammar. Generic delivery on air and boring writeups will not help you stand out. You have to be different and do the job well.


2) You have to be flexible, both in availability and competence. You have to be able to cover major sports and minor ones, including those you see represented at the Olympics. This is a huge issue with young writers and talent, who are only aware of or interested in one sport like football, for example.


3) You need to be resourceful and be able to build relationships. A large part of the job is just talking to people and asking them questions that resonate. Those are skills that are honed over time. But it starts with being comfortable talking with others and knowing how to navigate sports organizations and representatives for sports figures.


Good luck.

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Annjanette’s Answer

I am not in journalism, but I believe one important aspect to becoming a successful sports journalist is being informed about sports. Make sure you educate yourself on all sports, and specifically know what's going on in the sports field that interests you the most.
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