How to Become a Sports Writer in College
Sports writing is an exciting and fast-paced career. Sportswriters not only have to be skilled writers, they also have to have an in-depth understanding of the sports they cover. As a result, many sports writers find it advantageous to specialize in a type of sport or a niche within the sporting world. Writers who want to cover athletics don't have to wait until entering the working world to master the craft; writers can begin to start a career while attending college.
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Instructions
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Attend a college with a strong journalism program. Such schools will offer courses to help students write clearly and concisely and will help them master reporting in online, print or public relations platforms. Students may also opt for a school that has a program specializing in sports journalism, such as Indiana University's National Sports Journalism Center, which offers both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Sports Journalism. This program features courses in sports reporting, digital sports journalism and sports research. The center also boasts a speaker series that brings in prominent sportswriters and athletes.
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Join the school newspaper. School newspapers are a good place for budding writers to get their start and for more seasoned journalists to expand their careers. For example, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel, welcomes writers of all levels. Writers who apply for this paper can specify that they want to work at the sports desk, but placement at this desk is not guaranteed. Nevertheless, writers have the opportunity to switch desks each semester, and being involved with any desk on the newspaper will help writers get to know the editors and the processes the journalists on this paper follow. Once on the sports desk, writers may cover anything from March Madness to swimming and diving.
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Complete a sports writing internship. Internships help students expand their skills and form valuable relationships with journalists working in the field. Some schools, like Indiana University, have commitments from sports news outlets to take interns from their school. IU students intern with outlets like MLB.com, the Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press to learn how to cover and report on athletics.
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Join a professional association, such as the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Members of the NSSA have the opportunity to network with other professionals in their field via an online forum or member events and students can hear speakers at student chapter events. The NSSA also provides students with assistance in improving and distributing their resumes and can help with matching students with job opportunities in the sports writing field.
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References
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