Working with Women in Sports

Happy Women’s History Month! I am a sports editor for the Southern Digest, and I take pride in my job. One of the most amusing aspects of my job is the people I work with daily. I have sat in this role since August 2022, and I have learned so much on the job. When I first began this role there were only 5 people within the sports section, and 4 were women. Now, to the average thinker, it may seem like the task was impossible, but it wasn’t because those women were putting in the work necessary to work in sports.
As an editor, I will work with anybody because I am a firm believer your work speaks for itself. However, in society that is not the case. Working with these talented women, I have seen the hardships that come with them trying to get into the sports industry. It pains me to say this, but one of the critical hardships I have noticed is the fact that many professionals try to minimize women’s roles in sports as if they don’t deserve a seat at the table. Sports, in general, are competitive and challenging to get into, but for a woman, it is 10 times as difficult. These numbers are alarming: 20.9 percent of women are sports reporters, 15 percent of women sports comprise sports media, and 44 women were reported to be top sports columnists and reporters across the largest sports publications and websites. Only four were Black (per Coveteur).
Representation of women in sports is necessary because they are just as phenomenal as anybody working in sports. However, the talented people in my section, senior Ashley Lovelace, junior Sydney Cuillier, senior Alexis Easton, senior Kynnedi Jackson, and many others who are part of my section, are killing the game. These ladies have earned opportunities with ESPN, NFL, Black Sports Business Academy, and NBC. I enjoy every minute because while working alongside them, they have proven to be a great supporter and workaholics. I am proud to be willing to help anybody get into sports and make sure they get the opportunities they deserve. Besides my section, I have met other determined women in the sports industry, and they all are sensational at their craft. I am here to tell any woman, who wants to work in the sports industry to step in the room like they belong because you do. Those numbers are just numbers; there is a seat at the table if you put the work in. Women in sports is a movement I support greatly because sports are for anybody, not just one specific type. We are stronger with you than without you.