In fact three of them - Lewis, McKeegan and Sands - all started their careers in news journalism, with beats ranging from health news to court reporting. None of the panellists at this event had any formal training in sports journalism. No experience in sports journalism? No problem When his first match report was published in a national newspaper, he remembered feeling as if he had won a Pultizer prize. He said he got to where he is by taking every opportunity that came his way, and accepting unpaid work in his first two years working as a journalist. ' puts you in a much better position to write about that topic in a great way,' he says.ĭarren Lewis, assistant editor, The Daily Mirror agrees: 'Enjoy it. If you want to stand out, Darren Wells, sports writer at The Daily Mirror, says you must be excited about a particular sport or topic – bonus points if it is one not many other people are interested in. Sports journalism is a crowded market, however. Work experience is your chance to impress, hone your skills, decide if sports journalism is right for you, and secure future shifts with editors. You might not be offered the position of chief football writer straight away, but if you show the enthusiasm, that’s really attractive.' 'Get in touch with your local sports desk. According to Alice McKeegan, head of football at Manchester Evening News, an appetite to learn is one of your greatest tools. You can also quiz local sports journalist about their job. 'That is a form of work experience in sport and can help you get your foot in the door.'

'Get in touch with your local sports club and ask to produce some content for them,' suggests Katie Sands, multimedia sports journalist at Wales Online. Look for local opportunities to learn the ropes. It is not that likely that your first break will come at a huge sports news publisher or broadcaster.

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