The Association for Women in Sports Media is "a volunteer-managed, 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 as a support network and advocacy group for
women who work in sports writing, editing, broadcast and production, and public
and media relations. Our membership of more than 600 men and women includes
professionals in the industry and students aspiring to sports media careers."
The scholarship program "promotes and increases diversity in sports media through their internship/scholarship program." Over 100 female college students have been placed in paid internships since 1990. Mary Garber (see my first blog) has an attributed award in her honor. The Mary Garber Pioneer Award is given to "individuals who have paved the way for women in sports media." The association also extends a hand to those "who encounter roadblocks on the trails yet to be blazed."
Mission Statement (Adopted February 2005): The Association for Women in Sports Media has the following objectives: to serve
as a positive advocate for women in sports media, through support services,
networking and national visibility; to mentor and assist young women entering
into sports media, through scholarships, internships and contact with
experienced members; to serve as a watchdog, promoting fair portrayal of female
professionals in sports media, encouraging diversity, positive workplace
environments and equal access to opportunities.
AWSM has a LinkedIn Group that posts about jobs on their job board, they have a Job of the Week that lists a current job available to aspiring sports journalists and they also have the option of receiving e-mail updates of the latest news in jobs, conventions, scholarships, etc.
AWSM is a great resource for women like myself that typically feel lost when it comes to pursuing a career in sports journalism. It is associations like this one that prove women are making a difference in the world of sports and that their work isn't going unnoticed. The more support women get, the more apt they will be to follow their dreams and blaze new paths in the sports industry.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Christine "The Skirt" Brennan
Let's talk dreams. I'm talking about "If-you-could-do-anything-in-the-whole-wide-world-what-would-it-be" kind of dreams. Would you be a world traveler and learn as many languages as you can? Maybe you would like to adopt a couple hundred children with a man you're dating aka the "Angelina Jolie Lifestyle."
Could you imagine being an award-winning columnist for USA Today, an on-air commentator for ABC News, CNN, NPR, and Fox Sports radio, the author of seven books (one of which is a national best-seller), cover the Olympic games, be a motivational speaker, start a scholarship fund for female journalism students, AND be in the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame? ....well, that is Christine Brennan's life that I would die to have.
Could you imagine being an award-winning columnist for USA Today, an on-air commentator for ABC News, CNN, NPR, and Fox Sports radio, the author of seven books (one of which is a national best-seller), cover the Olympic games, be a motivational speaker, start a scholarship fund for female journalism students, AND be in the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame? ....well, that is Christine Brennan's life that I would die to have.
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| please let me have this life, please please pleeeaaase |
Brennan developed the name "The Skirt" by a few co-workers because she would wear the occasional skirt around the workplace. Considering the field Brennan worked in, sports journalism, this was rare to see.
That was the path Brennan was used to. When she was a little girl, Brennan got to play with all the boys. I say "got to" when really I should say "had to." Until Brennan's freshman year of highschool, women didn't have equality in sports. Not until 1972 when Nixon enacted Title IX. Then, according to an article by Sarah Kuta out of The Daily Northwestern, "Brennan became a six-sport athlete and senior athlete of the year at Ottawa Hills (Toledo, Ohio) High School."
Before Brennan played with the neighborhood boys, she was taught how to play sports from her father. Brennan would later go on to write a father-daughter memoir called Best Seat in the House.
Best Seat in the House is a fascinating book that tells the tale of a young Christine (sometimes called Christy to her young friends) Brennan. At the age of five she would run around in a swim suit sporting no top, listen to baseball games every night and play catch with her father as often as he would allow. She was the definition of a tom boy.
I recently rented this book from the UMD library and have yet to set it down. I see a lot of myself in the young Christine Brennan; always wanting to play with the boys, asking for a baseball mitt instead of a Barbie for Christmas, etc. It amazed me how easily Brennan remembered players and stats, and how much she knew about the game. When a child is that passionate about something, no matter if it is a boy or a girl, I believe parents should support them. If Brennan's father would have never bought her that mitt, or taught her how to throw correctly, or if her mother would have made her put an appropriate swim suit on for a little girl, who knows where she would be today.
Brennan's young love for sports made her the successful pioneer she is today and so for that, I have to say thank you to her Daddy for supporting her every step of the way.
Best Seat in the House is a fascinating book that tells the tale of a young Christine (sometimes called Christy to her young friends) Brennan. At the age of five she would run around in a swim suit sporting no top, listen to baseball games every night and play catch with her father as often as he would allow. She was the definition of a tom boy.
I recently rented this book from the UMD library and have yet to set it down. I see a lot of myself in the young Christine Brennan; always wanting to play with the boys, asking for a baseball mitt instead of a Barbie for Christmas, etc. It amazed me how easily Brennan remembered players and stats, and how much she knew about the game. When a child is that passionate about something, no matter if it is a boy or a girl, I believe parents should support them. If Brennan's father would have never bought her that mitt, or taught her how to throw correctly, or if her mother would have made her put an appropriate swim suit on for a little girl, who knows where she would be today.
Brennan's young love for sports made her the successful pioneer she is today and so for that, I have to say thank you to her Daddy for supporting her every step of the way.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Women and play-by-play
"First and goal. 1.3 seconds left on the clock. The ball is snapped, Ponder falls back, looks at Peterson deep in the end zone, throws up a lob....right into the running backs hands! TOUCHDOWNN VIKINGS" ......she said.
These are two unrealistic (but not impossible) scenarios. The first being that the Vikings actually scored a touchdown...what a heartbreak of a team. The second being that a woman was doing the play-by-play.
While there are plenty of women successfully becoming sideline reporters, they have yet to break into broadcasting play-by-play. This is especially apparent in the NFL. According to an article from ESPN's LZ Granderson, "In 1987 Gayle Sierens was the first (and so far only) woman to do play-by-play for a national NFL game."
Why aren't there more women "play-by-players"?? From what women have proven so far in the world of sports, they can do the same job as men, and not only that....they smell better doing it. So there has to be a reason as to why women are chained to sideline jobs and not up in the box rattling off stats and discussing what she believes the upcoming season will bring.
The first theory is that women aren't qualified enough for the position.
Anyone who is a sports nerd like myself knows this isn't true. Frank Deford from NPR said "But the irony is that most sideline reporters –– whatever sport, whichever gender –– really have done their homework and really do know their stuff." It is very unimaginable that any network would put a reporter on the sidelines that doesn't know a thing about the teams playing, the coaches, even the venue the game is being played at. What would the reporter ask them? "So Coach...how do you feel about the McDonald's dollar menu?"....I don't think so.
Employees have to be knowledgeable about sports to even be hired. Same goes for any field of work (at least I hope my doctor knew what they were doing when I got my wisdom teeth out).
For every UMD hockey and football game I did the post-game reporting for, I prepared for it. It would be impossible to not review stats before every game...unless you are a super sports genius and knows every player inside and out. In that case, I envy you.
Laurie Orlando, senior vice president, talent development and planning at ESPN, said that she is not going to "put someone in a position to fail." She wants to make sure of this by making sure ESPN is working with broadcasting schools "to stress the importance of giving women in journalism programs play-by-play opportunities so they have the skills to work their way up to a national audience."
I think this is awesome.
UMD's journalism program is fairly new and is mostly focused on print journalism. If the program advances I would highly suggest they expand into sports journalism or broadcast journalism. While learning print journalism was great, writing for broadcast is much different and learning to do play-by-play is verrrryyy different. Orlando said "A lot of women I talk to don't want to do play-by-play," she said. "They want to be sideline reporters or anchors. And it takes a lot of experience to be really good at it."
Another theory as to why there aren't many women who do play-by-play is because "women don't like football and/or sports."
This gets my blood boiling like the ladies on Maury.
Referring back to the ESPN article written by Granderson, "according to the NFL, 44 percent of its fans are women, and revenue from female apparel is 21 times higher than it was 10 years ago." Women have tasted the spice of competitiveness and they liked it. How could you not like being part of team that makes you fall in love with them one week and break your heart the next?? (*cough cough* the Vikings)
Lastly, people think there's an "announcing imbalance because women don't play the sport at the highest level."
Granderson proved this wrong in once sentence. "Well, Jim Nantz, Marv Albert and Dick Stockton -- most of the play-by-play announcers and not a few color commentators -- haven't played "the sport" at the highest level either, and they seem to be doing just fine."
Also, as many people don't know, there is the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL). Full pads. Helmets. Full tackle. The whole kit-n-kaboodle.
Their mission is a "full tackle women's football league focused on creating a positive, safe and fun environment for the women who play the game and fans that come out to watch them." They have 51 teams, 1,600 players and their season starts nine days from today (3/28/12). The closest I have ever got to being this cool was when I played powder puff in high school.
Even though women have come a long way in the world of sports, they still don't get the same respect as men. One of the comments on Deford's article titled "No Respect For The Women On The Sidelines" is....
These are two unrealistic (but not impossible) scenarios. The first being that the Vikings actually scored a touchdown...what a heartbreak of a team. The second being that a woman was doing the play-by-play.
While there are plenty of women successfully becoming sideline reporters, they have yet to break into broadcasting play-by-play. This is especially apparent in the NFL. According to an article from ESPN's LZ Granderson, "In 1987 Gayle Sierens was the first (and so far only) woman to do play-by-play for a national NFL game."
 |
| Gayle Sieren - as a child she was called "froggy" |
The first theory is that women aren't qualified enough for the position.
Anyone who is a sports nerd like myself knows this isn't true. Frank Deford from NPR said "But the irony is that most sideline reporters –– whatever sport, whichever gender –– really have done their homework and really do know their stuff." It is very unimaginable that any network would put a reporter on the sidelines that doesn't know a thing about the teams playing, the coaches, even the venue the game is being played at. What would the reporter ask them? "So Coach...how do you feel about the McDonald's dollar menu?"....I don't think so.
Employees have to be knowledgeable about sports to even be hired. Same goes for any field of work (at least I hope my doctor knew what they were doing when I got my wisdom teeth out).
For every UMD hockey and football game I did the post-game reporting for, I prepared for it. It would be impossible to not review stats before every game...unless you are a super sports genius and knows every player inside and out. In that case, I envy you.
Laurie Orlando, senior vice president, talent development and planning at ESPN, said that she is not going to "put someone in a position to fail." She wants to make sure of this by making sure ESPN is working with broadcasting schools "to stress the importance of giving women in journalism programs play-by-play opportunities so they have the skills to work their way up to a national audience."
I think this is awesome.
UMD's journalism program is fairly new and is mostly focused on print journalism. If the program advances I would highly suggest they expand into sports journalism or broadcast journalism. While learning print journalism was great, writing for broadcast is much different and learning to do play-by-play is verrrryyy different. Orlando said "A lot of women I talk to don't want to do play-by-play," she said. "They want to be sideline reporters or anchors. And it takes a lot of experience to be really good at it."
Another theory as to why there aren't many women who do play-by-play is because "women don't like football and/or sports."
This gets my blood boiling like the ladies on Maury.
 |
| What a classy show |
 |
| It's okay honey we'll get 'em next year...maybe. |
Granderson proved this wrong in once sentence. "Well, Jim Nantz, Marv Albert and Dick Stockton -- most of the play-by-play announcers and not a few color commentators -- haven't played "the sport" at the highest level either, and they seem to be doing just fine."
Also, as many people don't know, there is the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL). Full pads. Helmets. Full tackle. The whole kit-n-kaboodle.
 |
| Bad ass |
Even though women have come a long way in the world of sports, they still don't get the same respect as men. One of the comments on Deford's article titled "No Respect For The Women On The Sidelines" is....
WWWHHHHOOOOO CCCCCAAAAARRRREEEESSSSS!!!!!!!
This is the exact reason I want to get into the world of sports broadcasting. Because pioneer reporters like Lesley Visser wore media credentials that said "no women (or children) in the press box," because she said "the players who were nicest to me were the black players because they knew what it was like to walk into a room and being the only one," and because Visser, among many others, fought too hard and worked even harder to do what they love. And by god, they are good at it.
This is the exact reason I want to get into the world of sports broadcasting. Because pioneer reporters like Lesley Visser wore media credentials that said "no women (or children) in the press box," because she said "the players who were nicest to me were the black players because they knew what it was like to walk into a room and being the only one," and because Visser, among many others, fought too hard and worked even harder to do what they love. And by god, they are good at it.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Should Women Reporters Be Allowed in Mens Locker Rooms?
Proof....
 |
| Sainz graduated with a bachelor in law degree from Universidad de Valle de Mexico, masters in tax law from Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro and a graduate degree in business administration. |
Back in September 2010, Sainz experienced one of "the most prominent instances of harassment directed toward a female sports reporter" according to an article by Indiana University. Sainz was reportedly harassed while doing an interview in the New York Jets locker room.
The "cat calls" and "taunting" sparked a worldwide debate around the question: Should women reporters be allowed in mens locker rooms?
A few days after the event had taken place, running back Clinton Portis (currently a free agent but played seven seasons with the Washington Redskins) was on 106.7 The Fan in D.C. In an article by nbcsports.com, Portis was "was asked his opinion on the Ines Sainz situation with the New York Jets."
 | ||
| Mmmm is that Ines Sainz?? She's pretty |
“And I mean, you put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her. You know, somebody got to spark her interest, or she’s gonna want somebody. I don’t know what kind of woman won’t, if you get to go and look at 53 men’s packages.” (nbcsports.com)
Ohhh Clinton, I hope you were planning on hell breaking loose because that just did it. (He did later apologize).
"The Ines Sainz thing" as referred to by Washington Post journalist Dan Steinberg, blew up. Steinberg addressed the issue by replying to some of the comments they had been receiving. One of the readers commented "Female reporters shouldn't be allowed in NFL locker rooms unless male reporters are allowed in WNBA locker rooms!!!!"
Steinberg's response:
Uh, male reporters are allowed in WNBA locker rooms.
Looks like people need to do their research before they jump to conclusions.
A part of this case that I feel I have to touch on are the opinions of some people that Sainz has the tendency to dress in a scandalous manner. She is a model as well as a reporter (wow...rough life) so she definitely has the body to wear certain outfits that the average Jane couldn't pull off. For the day of the interview with Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets, Sainz wore a white collard shirt and blue jeans. It has been looked at as controversial because the blouse was form-fitting and a few of the buttons were undone.
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| One of Sainz many outfits. |
In a Washington Post article about the Sainz situation, sports journalist Cindy Boren quickly adds that she is a woman writing about an issue that she has experienced.
"Because the caretaker of this blog is a woman and a sports journalist...and a sports journalist who once had a blow dryer thrown at her for no good reason in a locker room, I've been getting tons of questions about how I view the Ines Sainz incident and Clinton Portis' comments."
Through the controversy, it had been expressed that some people strictly believe women should stay out of the locker room and others believe that would be like "asking if women should vote" -- something that has been around for a long time but is not always taken advantage of.
Here is what Sainz had to say on the Early Show...
The question of should I or shouldn't I enter the locker room has been evident in my line of work. For example, once I was doing a video segment that required me to get a few shots in the mens hockey locker room. I waited until all the guys were out of the room and I had one of the coaches go in and check to make sure all the guys were out. Would it have been okay for me to be in there otherwise?
From my understanding, I am only able to enter the locker room when it is open to the media, even if my reason for entering at any other time is part of something I am doing for my job.
After the mens hockey games at UMD, all the reporters wait in the hallway outside of the locker room. Last week it was the last home game of the season and the hallway was complete chaos. Some of the male reporters started going into the locker room to get their interviews. I stood outside the locker room like an indecisive child.
Do I go in the locker room? Do I wait here? Am I going to see a naked butt? Can I even see a naked butt with out laughing? Get it together Lizz, you can see a naked butt without laughing. (Internal battles and pep talks are a daily occurrence).
One of the long time sports reporters from the Duluth News Tribune then informed me that it was okay if I went in there as long as it was open to the media. (I never did enter the locker room because my interviewee came out right at that moment -- so no I never saw a naked butt. I know you were all wondering.)
I was then wondering what the rules were for professional sports versus college sports and this is what I found: "During the regular season, NCAA institutions can make their own rules about locker room availability, but during the tournament the NCAA has a uniform policy." (Steinberg)
So for now, Sainz and I can go in as many locker rooms as we see fit. What a pair...the 5'5 college student from Minnesota and the Latina Model (that'll be the day).
\
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Here's to you Mary Garber
Do you remember recess as a child when the boys would be playing football and there was always that one girl that got to play with them? It was always a mystery as to why she got to play with hot Johnny while you played four square and hoped that the football would be thrown in your direction and hot Johnny would be the one to retrieve it. With your luck it would probably be stinky farts Frank anyway so you should be thankful that ball was never thrown your way.
If you are still wondering how that lucky lucky girl got to be the one to play with the boys it's because she took the chance. While you and Susie sings a lot just accepted that your place was on the black top with the jump ropes and the variety pack of sidewalk chalk, that girl decided to walk onto unknown territory and find out how far the skills she knew she possessed would take her. You go girl. Mary Garber would have been proud.
Who was Mary Garber you ask?
She was living proof that women can succeed in the world of sports journalism.
According to American History t.v, Garber played football for the Buena Vista Devils in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as a young girl. That was back in 1924 when Garber was only eight-years-old. Can you imagine? Hot Johnny getting schooled by a girl. He would definitely lose some playground credibility.
Garber grew into a young lady who had a passion for sports as well as journalism. She attended college in Virginia and in 1940 became the society editor at the Twin City Sentinel. World War II gave Garber her big break. It was her time to leave the jump ropes and step onto the big boy field. With many of the men away, Garber had the opportunity to do general assignment reporting. Then the high school sports reporter graduated and the five-foot ninety pound lady stepped into his over sized shoes. When the war ended Garber was sent back to general assignment reporting. She was back on the metaphorical black top playing four square with the other little girls and she wanted badly to be back on the football field. A year later, after loads of persistence, Garber was back on the sports beat. For good.
In an article published by the New York Times, Garber started writing about sports when "the craft was essentially a man’s domain."
" Coaches often treated her with condescension, fellow sportswriters ignored her and professional associations kept her out."
The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) has the Mary Garber Pioneer Award. The award "annually recognizes those who have paved the way and serve as role models for women in sports media."
Garber's role in the world of sports journalism has helped aspiring journalists like myself. Reading stories like hers adds fuel to my flame of dreams.
If you are happy singing "Down by the Valley where there green grass grows" while throwing your body into two ridiculously fast moving ropes then stick with it; be the best double dutcher out there. But, if you are sick of getting hit in the face because you can't figure out how to anticipate that second rope getting added to the mix and you want a change of pace, take a page out of Mary's book. Take a chance.
 |
| Stink Farts Frank |
Who was Mary Garber you ask?
She was living proof that women can succeed in the world of sports journalism.
 | |||
| Lookin' good Mary |
Garber grew into a young lady who had a passion for sports as well as journalism. She attended college in Virginia and in 1940 became the society editor at the Twin City Sentinel. World War II gave Garber her big break. It was her time to leave the jump ropes and step onto the big boy field. With many of the men away, Garber had the opportunity to do general assignment reporting. Then the high school sports reporter graduated and the five-foot ninety pound lady stepped into his over sized shoes. When the war ended Garber was sent back to general assignment reporting. She was back on the metaphorical black top playing four square with the other little girls and she wanted badly to be back on the football field. A year later, after loads of persistence, Garber was back on the sports beat. For good.
In an article published by the New York Times, Garber started writing about sports when "the craft was essentially a man’s domain."
" Coaches often treated her with condescension, fellow sportswriters ignored her and professional associations kept her out."
The Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) has the Mary Garber Pioneer Award. The award "annually recognizes those who have paved the way and serve as role models for women in sports media."
Garber's role in the world of sports journalism has helped aspiring journalists like myself. Reading stories like hers adds fuel to my flame of dreams.
If you are happy singing "Down by the Valley where there green grass grows" while throwing your body into two ridiculously fast moving ropes then stick with it; be the best double dutcher out there. But, if you are sick of getting hit in the face because you can't figure out how to anticipate that second rope getting added to the mix and you want a change of pace, take a page out of Mary's book. Take a chance.
 |
| This will never be me. |
Thursday, February 9, 2012
When in Rome...do as the Roman women do
You're all set for the big game. You have you're big man beer, and your big man bag of chips, a jar of dip way to large for one man to ever think of finishing, but, you will do it because, you're a man. You turn on your over sized t.v and there she is, long blonde hair, sparkling white teeth, glowing skin; oh you know who I'm talking about. Erin Andrews. You settle back into your lazy boy and thank God for College Game Day on ESPN.
"Basketball? That's the one with the helmets right?"
For years women have been breaking barriers to become established in a world where men have been tyrants and flexed their muscles to save countries. More recently, women have been working to break into another world where men also have always been in control, the world of sports. How could a woman possibly talk about sports in a group of men and still keep up? In the mid-1940's this was a serious question that was thrown around while men drank a whiskey (or seven) after work and talked about the newly founded "sports on t.v."
Barbie finds her brain
When the Romans started the Olympic games and were passing the time throwing heavy things and running in circles, the women thought this looked like fun and that they should develop their own sort of "Games of Hera" or the Heraean Games. Because women couldn't develop their own sports broadcasting station alone back in the 1940's, they had to learn how to play along with the men. In 1974, Phyllis George, a beauty pageant winner was invited by CBS to become a sportscaster. She ditched her crown and heels for a sport coat and a microphone. Sure she was still blonde, still had a smile that could knock your socks off, and probably didn't eat too much McDonalds, but she was also quick-witted and knew what she was talking about. A dream for most men and an envy for some women.
I bet I could kick that football farther than you...in high heels.
So how has women in sports evolved in time? What struggles have they overcome and what are they still dealing with today? I ask these questions because I am an aspiring sports journalist. I work for the football and hockey team at my school. During the good days, I feel like my little black pumps are owning the world and the sports industry is exactly where I belong, during the bad days, I feel like my little black pumps could give a good swift kick in the rump to any man who treats me like "just a girl." My competitive edge and 0-60 temper gives me the personality of a man (attractive, I know) but my emotions and bubbly personality remind everyone that I am still a girl, unfortunately, this can be a disadvantage. I would like to know why.
In closing I would like every girl to watch this video and find a way around these "sayings"
"Basketball? That's the one with the helmets right?"
For years women have been breaking barriers to become established in a world where men have been tyrants and flexed their muscles to save countries. More recently, women have been working to break into another world where men also have always been in control, the world of sports. How could a woman possibly talk about sports in a group of men and still keep up? In the mid-1940's this was a serious question that was thrown around while men drank a whiskey (or seven) after work and talked about the newly founded "sports on t.v."
Barbie finds her brain
When the Romans started the Olympic games and were passing the time throwing heavy things and running in circles, the women thought this looked like fun and that they should develop their own sort of "Games of Hera" or the Heraean Games. Because women couldn't develop their own sports broadcasting station alone back in the 1940's, they had to learn how to play along with the men. In 1974, Phyllis George, a beauty pageant winner was invited by CBS to become a sportscaster. She ditched her crown and heels for a sport coat and a microphone. Sure she was still blonde, still had a smile that could knock your socks off, and probably didn't eat too much McDonalds, but she was also quick-witted and knew what she was talking about. A dream for most men and an envy for some women.
I bet I could kick that football farther than you...in high heels.
So how has women in sports evolved in time? What struggles have they overcome and what are they still dealing with today? I ask these questions because I am an aspiring sports journalist. I work for the football and hockey team at my school. During the good days, I feel like my little black pumps are owning the world and the sports industry is exactly where I belong, during the bad days, I feel like my little black pumps could give a good swift kick in the rump to any man who treats me like "just a girl." My competitive edge and 0-60 temper gives me the personality of a man (attractive, I know) but my emotions and bubbly personality remind everyone that I am still a girl, unfortunately, this can be a disadvantage. I would like to know why.
In closing I would like every girl to watch this video and find a way around these "sayings"
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