Expert: Patrick J. Murray - 2/17/2011

Question
Hi Patrick,

I am a high school sophmore in Toronto and I am very much interested in pursuing a job as a sportscaster in the NHL. I have always loved hockey but there are very few jobs in sports really for women. I would also like to know of other jobs in sports/the Nhl that you would recommend. Any advice would help.

Thanks

Answer
Dear Avery,

Thanx for stopping by.....

You sound like a true hockey fan and good for you! Having a solid knowledge of your subject will put you into a good position for that sportscasting job in your future. Most sports broadcasters that I knew have been a student of their respective games for a long time. Having that depth and breadth of knowledge is important when reporting on the sport and specific teams during an event.
So that's the knowledge part of the occupation...

Now the question is can you look and speak as a commentator would and be recognized for your knowledge of the sport? At this stage for you it would be good for you to watch the female announcers that you like on TV and really listen to their voices, look at their mannerisms, and think why they are the most appealing to you. In that way, you will be able to determine some of those characteristics you may wish to adopt as well as adding your own. SO by the time you are ready, there just may be something for you.

Jobs for women in sports are opening more each year. There are many ladies like your yourself who are interested in sports and would like to have a broadcasting job - it is becoming more of a reality, so hopefully you will be able to take advantage of the situation at the appropriate time.

As you start out, one of the biggest elements for any job is contacts. So if you have the opportunity, it may be a good start to have introduced to some lady sportscasters along the way. So if you can e-mail an introduction of who you are and what you would like to do, I am sure you would receive a positive response. Most broadcasters are very polite and are willing to share their story with others - especially those that have an interest in the business.

For your part, if you wish to develop your voice and your on-camera persona, there are a few things that you can do to help develop your abilities. At school, you can work on the public address system, school paper, or appear in plays - all of these assist you in gaining confidence about being in public, speaking, and writing.

At home,practice speaking into a video camera or with a microphone. Read the sports pages out loud as well and even watch yourself in the mirror. Using your voice and body mannerisms takes some practice - and a lot of repetition. The more you work with it, the better you could possibly become in the field.

Those are some basic thoughts to get you started along the way...If I can assist further and you some other even more specific questions, please stop on back!

Best of luck to you!

Patrick Murray