I think what I found interesting in chapter 1 and my biggest takeaway was the sacrifice and time consumption that the sports reporting industry takes on someone. This is something that I have a little background information about just being a lifelong sports fan and paying attention to the sports media and sports reporting industry, but it didn’t really hit me until hearing the firsthand stories and how a simple day can be turned into a hectic and chaotic situation right away with the breaking of a big time news story. I think another thing I found interesting was the balance that a reporter may have between different sports. For me I feel like I’ve only seen people focus on one sport like being a football expert or basketball expert and so learning that there are some reporters who have to focus on three or four sports at one time was interesting to read about.
For Chapter 2 something I found interesting and something that stood out to me was the analogy used right away comparing sports reporting to the actual product that the reporter is covering when the author talked about the little things and how much doing the little things correctly matters both on the field and when reporting. For me as an athlete this is a philosophy I’ve always thought about and so now putting it into motion in the field I’ve considered for a while was definitely something that surprised me and just seeing how much the philosophy works for both aspects. Another topic I thought was important was the use of primary and secondary sources in sports reporting. In sports reporting, primary and secondary sources are essential for accuracy and credibility. Primary sources like interviews with athletes, coaches, or official game statistics provide firsthand information and unique perspectives that bring authenticity to a story. Secondary sources like news articles, expert analysis, or historical records help place events in context, verify details, and offer comparisons to past performances.
The first takeaway that I had from reading chapters one and two is that sports reporting is a form of controlled chaos. This is because of the unpredictable nature of sports, and having to adapt quickly to things like where you need to go to report, or quickly crafting a story out of what’s happening in front of you. It’s important to embrace the controlled chaos because a good reporter must hit their deadlines and get their story out in time no matter the situation. Another takeaway I had is what a “beat reporter” is and their job. A beat reporter is someone who covers the same team, exclusively. Their role is to get behind the scenes of their certain team or whatever it may be. They provide the fans a unique perspective with their work by reporting on things most broader outlets wouldn’t. They know everything about the team they report on, like the starting lineup, who’s injured, and even recruiting. They usually expect breaking news about the team before anyone else.
Oscar Clark
Reading chapter one, I learned all about what it’s like to live the life of a sports reporter. My biggest takeaway from the chapter was the common theme of controlled chaos. The author effectively illustrates the chaotic nature of a reporter’s life. She talks about how her mother only asks her what she’s doing TODAY because she knows things change so often and so quickly. Like when she talks about being at the salon during what she thought was free time when she got the news that Sean Payton was retiring, so she had to leave the salon and get to his press conference with her hair perfectly blown out. She talks about what a year in the line of sports reporting can look like towards the end of the chapter. In 2022 alone, she traveled to 11 different states, plus Ireland, for a college football game. She reported on NFL games, college football games, March Madness games, women’s volleyball, coaches getting fired, and coaches getting hired. She even reported on Matt Rhule getting the head coaching job at Nebraska while she had the flu.
Chapter two starts off with talking about beat reporting. A beat reporter is a reporter who often stays with a single team or program. Staying with a single program can build trust and credibility over time. Beat reporters must stay fair and accurate, so this means they cannot get too close with the players and the coaches on the team they report for. She then jumps into what primary and secondary sources are, and what they mean to beat reporters. A primary source is someone they interview or collect information from directly, like a player or a coach. A secondary source would be something like statistics or press releases. She used Nebraska’s 448 page media guide as an example of a good secondary source. Another thing i took away from this chapter was the “Going Bananas” section of the chapter. She dives into the Savannah Bananas and how they totally revamped the game of baseball, all for the interest of the fans. In a fast-twitch sports world, the Savannah Bananas recognized that baseball was lagging behind and decided to create their own fast and fun version of the game that fans love.
Chapters one and two covered lots of things that I am interested in doing in my future. The readings also gave me a totally different perspective on sports journalists or reporters. Covering sports as a living of course sounds fun, and I would imagine that for all the reporters who have the job enjoy it, the amount of work that they must put in in order to cover the league whether it’s college or professional sports is very difficult to do. Chapters one and two talked about the daily grind of a sports reporter that covered multiple sports along their career paths, which included collegiate football, volleyball, and the NFL. This reporter then also talked about what a day in the life of a reporter can look like, with also including how it can look when breaking news happens, and something big in the sports world happens whether it’s a trade, or in this case, a legendary head coach stepping down. The readings also included talking about the different types of writers who cover teams. An example included beat writers who might cover more than one team or sport. These can be at any level as well. It also included things like primary sources which I didn’t have too much of a great idea on. Being a sports reporter can involve lots of pressure as you must get the stories right and have the correct stories and make sure that everything that you are reporting is legit and is coming from someone who has the right information. I learned many things in both chapters one and two about sports reporting as well as writing, and I’m excited to continue to dive into more information on it as a whole.
The main thing I understood from this first chapter is that sports reporting is incredibly unpredictable. There is no way to guess whether your day could be hectic and unending, or completely relaxed and boring. You may miss out on some important things, such as the weddings and birthdays of friends and family, or sometimes even most holidays. In fact, most of the people in your life will end up doing things without you. Though this isn’t ideal, the thrill and knowledge you receive from reporting is supposedly enough to distract reporters from the FOMO. You have to be prepared to go anywhere at any time, no matter what you are doing at the present moment. Often it will be rewarding, and you can get the inside scoop of many interesting events. Other times though, you could easily be denied the information you’re trying to collect and report. There is no predicting what each day will look like, and reporters need to be on their toes constantly.
Chapter 2:
This chapter covers the importance of having the right connections as a reporter. Reliable sources are necessary to sharing relevant information to the public, and a variety of sources are usually best. The more sources a reporter can use, the better. Similarly, the relationship that a reporter has with athletes, companies, and others connected to a story(all can be used as sources) allows them to have the most interesting and reliable information. When it comes to reporting, relationships are everything. This also includes the relationship between the reporter and social media. Meaning, they have to be active and relatable so viewers want information from them. Essentially, reporters need to be on everyone’s good side to gain the most success in their field. To revisit the variety of sources necessary for reporting success, it’s important to have both primary sources and secondary. This allows a main story that catches the attention of fans, and then some supporting details to validate the information.
My biggest takeaway from chapter 1 is that Sports journalism is like an “Organized Chaos”. The phrase stood out to me as it connects right back to what sports are. Sports are organized, however they are fast paced and chaotic. You never know what might happen. I didn’t necessarily think about how this would apply to sports journalism before reading this chapter. Although what is actually being covered is hectic and everchanging, journalists must remain calm and maintain a structured system in order to do their jobs. Sports Journalists have to be able to adapt and think on their feet in order to meet their tight deadlines. I found this chapter to be super interesting and insightful as it dives into the actual day to day life of a sports journalist.
Chapter 2:
My biggest takeaway from chapter 2 was all about Beat Reporters and the different types of sources they may use. A beat reporter is someone who consistently covers the same specific team, sport, or area of sports. Because they are able to focus on the same group over time, they develop a deeper knowledge and understanding. They also build stronger relationships within that team/teams which creates a greater accessibility to sources. For example, they may have access to “Behind the Scenes Sources”. These could be any team personnel ranging from equipment managers to the security guard stationed outside the team locker room. These sources could be crucial to your story, and are also super rare to come by. Without beat reporters, it would be hard to get the different angles that these sources provide. For this reason I found the whole idea of Beat Reporters to be super interesting in this chapter.
In Chapter 1, “Living the Life,” I learned about the extreme unpredictability of working in sports journalism. Amie Just explains that this career operates in a constant state of “organized chaos” – organization in the sense of pre-planned deadlines, newsroom schedules, and coverage of upcoming games, but chaos in the unpredictability of sports itself. One day can look completely different from the next. For example, when Sean Payton unexpectedly stepped down as the Saints’ head coach, it instantly shifted the priorities and workflow of every reporter covering the team. Sports – and by extension, sports media – is an incredibly fast-paced industry, not only in terms of physical movement but also in those unanticipated moments that can rewrite your entire day. As Just notes, working in this field requires staying “on your toes” at all times because your schedule can change drastically without warning.
Another key takeaway from this chapter is the significance of sporting polls. These rankings are driven by journalists and broadcasters considered experts in their field. Four national writers, along with additional voters selected for geographic diversity, are responsible for voting on the most successful teams and individuals. These polls play an important role in engaging fans, shaping public perception, and fueling the media cycle that surrounds sports.
In Chapter 2, “Working With Sources,” the key takeaway is that strong interpersonal relationships are essential for sports reporters to stay accurate and informed. Beat reporters play a major role in this process because they specialize in a specific team, division, or sport, allowing them to develop deep knowledge and provide detailed coverage for fans.
Reporters rely on three main types of sources. Primary sources include coaches, players, and team administrators—the decision-makers and gatekeepers of information. Secondary sources are individuals closely connected to the team or event, offering unique perspectives and anecdotes. Material sources involve statistics, records, and behind-the-scenes staff who witness details the public rarely sees.
Accessing these sources requires outreach and relationship-building. At the collegiate and professional levels, this often involves working through team managers or public relations staff. Regardless of level, professionalism, respect, and finding common ground help establish trust. Networking and leaving a positive first impression are crucial for lasting connections. Finally, having proper credentials is key for gaining access to events and interviews.
Chapter one consists of the author explaining the life of a beat reporter constantly on the run. She explains how it is very fast paced. When reporting sports you will always be on the run. You must have an open availability to be on the go in order to capture the story. It can be frustrating having to live your life around your job. She mentions how in the past she has missed weddings, events, and other personal plans. She has even had to run out the door in the middle of a hair salon appointment once. She spent the first four years after high school studying journalism, English, and women and gender studies at the University of Kansas. Along with schooling she interned at the Washington Press, the Associated Press, and the Topeka Capital-Journal. Throughout her life she bounced between eleven different states in order to cover sports media.
Chapter two explains the complexities of sports journaling and reporting. A beat reporter is someone who covers the same sport, team, or league on a full-time basis. It is common for beat writers to be assigned to the same team for years. Some responsibilities a beat reporter has is to provide as much information as possible for fans to get to know their favorite teams. The best kind of reporters will tend to know everything about their team off the top of their head. In season is usually the busiest time for a beat reporter. But, what most people don’t know is that an offseason can be pretty busy as well for college and professional beat writers. An important thing to remember is where your information comes from–your sources. Primary sources may be coaches, players, teammates, athletic directors, and other administrators. Whereas secondary sources can be considered family, friends, etc.
In chapter one Amie Just talks about her experience as a sports reporter. Amie focused on the chaos side of sports reporting and how a seemingly normal day can turn into a chaotic one. As well as how many different sports she covers. She focuses mainly on her life covering football but also mentions how she covers volleyball and Mens and Womens Basketball. In Chapter two the main focus was the different types of sources and Beat reporting. A beat reporter is someone who covers the same team, sports, or league all the time. The main types of sources are Primary, Secondary, Material, and Anonymous. Primary sources are people directly connected to the news like coaches and players. Secondary sources would be for example a players friends and family. Material Sources are things like media guides, records books, and stat sheets. Finally anonymous sources are sources that are not known to the public and could possible give out more information due to the anonymity. Chapter two also talks about the importance of behind the scenes relationship building.
The first two chapters was clear how journalism is pretty much a responsibility and a skill. Chapter 1 focused a lot on why accuracy and fairness are so important. It explained that hm,news isn’t just about reporting what happened, but its more about giving people enough truth and background to actually understand it and not lying because a lot of times you see reporters lying. That showed me how much the audience relies on journalists to get it right. Chapter 2 switched up a little bit and talked more about the tools a reporter needs, like being able to see a players emotions, and asking good questions, and spotting what counts as news, not just something random. I liked how it said good interviews are not just about getting good quotes but making a story make sense, and that stuck with me because its so true. It made me realize those habits are useful outside of journalism too, in school or even sports. Overall the chapters showed me that journalism is about combining being a professional with everyday skills, which I’m excited to learn more about with this course.
10 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 1”
I think what I found interesting in chapter 1 and my biggest takeaway was the sacrifice and time consumption that the sports reporting industry takes on someone. This is something that I have a little background information about just being a lifelong sports fan and paying attention to the sports media and sports reporting industry, but it didn’t really hit me until hearing the firsthand stories and how a simple day can be turned into a hectic and chaotic situation right away with the breaking of a big time news story. I think another thing I found interesting was the balance that a reporter may have between different sports. For me I feel like I’ve only seen people focus on one sport like being a football expert or basketball expert and so learning that there are some reporters who have to focus on three or four sports at one time was interesting to read about.
For Chapter 2 something I found interesting and something that stood out to me was the analogy used right away comparing sports reporting to the actual product that the reporter is covering when the author talked about the little things and how much doing the little things correctly matters both on the field and when reporting. For me as an athlete this is a philosophy I’ve always thought about and so now putting it into motion in the field I’ve considered for a while was definitely something that surprised me and just seeing how much the philosophy works for both aspects. Another topic I thought was important was the use of primary and secondary sources in sports reporting. In sports reporting, primary and secondary sources are essential for accuracy and credibility. Primary sources like interviews with athletes, coaches, or official game statistics provide firsthand information and unique perspectives that bring authenticity to a story. Secondary sources like news articles, expert analysis, or historical records help place events in context, verify details, and offer comparisons to past performances.
The first takeaway that I had from reading chapters one and two is that sports reporting is a form of controlled chaos. This is because of the unpredictable nature of sports, and having to adapt quickly to things like where you need to go to report, or quickly crafting a story out of what’s happening in front of you. It’s important to embrace the controlled chaos because a good reporter must hit their deadlines and get their story out in time no matter the situation. Another takeaway I had is what a “beat reporter” is and their job. A beat reporter is someone who covers the same team, exclusively. Their role is to get behind the scenes of their certain team or whatever it may be. They provide the fans a unique perspective with their work by reporting on things most broader outlets wouldn’t. They know everything about the team they report on, like the starting lineup, who’s injured, and even recruiting. They usually expect breaking news about the team before anyone else.
Oscar Clark
Reading chapter one, I learned all about what it’s like to live the life of a sports reporter. My biggest takeaway from the chapter was the common theme of controlled chaos. The author effectively illustrates the chaotic nature of a reporter’s life. She talks about how her mother only asks her what she’s doing TODAY because she knows things change so often and so quickly. Like when she talks about being at the salon during what she thought was free time when she got the news that Sean Payton was retiring, so she had to leave the salon and get to his press conference with her hair perfectly blown out. She talks about what a year in the line of sports reporting can look like towards the end of the chapter. In 2022 alone, she traveled to 11 different states, plus Ireland, for a college football game. She reported on NFL games, college football games, March Madness games, women’s volleyball, coaches getting fired, and coaches getting hired. She even reported on Matt Rhule getting the head coaching job at Nebraska while she had the flu.
Chapter two starts off with talking about beat reporting. A beat reporter is a reporter who often stays with a single team or program. Staying with a single program can build trust and credibility over time. Beat reporters must stay fair and accurate, so this means they cannot get too close with the players and the coaches on the team they report for. She then jumps into what primary and secondary sources are, and what they mean to beat reporters. A primary source is someone they interview or collect information from directly, like a player or a coach. A secondary source would be something like statistics or press releases. She used Nebraska’s 448 page media guide as an example of a good secondary source. Another thing i took away from this chapter was the “Going Bananas” section of the chapter. She dives into the Savannah Bananas and how they totally revamped the game of baseball, all for the interest of the fans. In a fast-twitch sports world, the Savannah Bananas recognized that baseball was lagging behind and decided to create their own fast and fun version of the game that fans love.
Journal 1
Chapters one and two covered lots of things that I am interested in doing in my future. The readings also gave me a totally different perspective on sports journalists or reporters. Covering sports as a living of course sounds fun, and I would imagine that for all the reporters who have the job enjoy it, the amount of work that they must put in in order to cover the league whether it’s college or professional sports is very difficult to do. Chapters one and two talked about the daily grind of a sports reporter that covered multiple sports along their career paths, which included collegiate football, volleyball, and the NFL. This reporter then also talked about what a day in the life of a reporter can look like, with also including how it can look when breaking news happens, and something big in the sports world happens whether it’s a trade, or in this case, a legendary head coach stepping down. The readings also included talking about the different types of writers who cover teams. An example included beat writers who might cover more than one team or sport. These can be at any level as well. It also included things like primary sources which I didn’t have too much of a great idea on. Being a sports reporter can involve lots of pressure as you must get the stories right and have the correct stories and make sure that everything that you are reporting is legit and is coming from someone who has the right information. I learned many things in both chapters one and two about sports reporting as well as writing, and I’m excited to continue to dive into more information on it as a whole.
Chapter 1:
The main thing I understood from this first chapter is that sports reporting is incredibly unpredictable. There is no way to guess whether your day could be hectic and unending, or completely relaxed and boring. You may miss out on some important things, such as the weddings and birthdays of friends and family, or sometimes even most holidays. In fact, most of the people in your life will end up doing things without you. Though this isn’t ideal, the thrill and knowledge you receive from reporting is supposedly enough to distract reporters from the FOMO. You have to be prepared to go anywhere at any time, no matter what you are doing at the present moment. Often it will be rewarding, and you can get the inside scoop of many interesting events. Other times though, you could easily be denied the information you’re trying to collect and report. There is no predicting what each day will look like, and reporters need to be on their toes constantly.
Chapter 2:
This chapter covers the importance of having the right connections as a reporter. Reliable sources are necessary to sharing relevant information to the public, and a variety of sources are usually best. The more sources a reporter can use, the better. Similarly, the relationship that a reporter has with athletes, companies, and others connected to a story(all can be used as sources) allows them to have the most interesting and reliable information. When it comes to reporting, relationships are everything. This also includes the relationship between the reporter and social media. Meaning, they have to be active and relatable so viewers want information from them. Essentially, reporters need to be on everyone’s good side to gain the most success in their field. To revisit the variety of sources necessary for reporting success, it’s important to have both primary sources and secondary. This allows a main story that catches the attention of fans, and then some supporting details to validate the information.
Chapter 1:
My biggest takeaway from chapter 1 is that Sports journalism is like an “Organized Chaos”. The phrase stood out to me as it connects right back to what sports are. Sports are organized, however they are fast paced and chaotic. You never know what might happen. I didn’t necessarily think about how this would apply to sports journalism before reading this chapter. Although what is actually being covered is hectic and everchanging, journalists must remain calm and maintain a structured system in order to do their jobs. Sports Journalists have to be able to adapt and think on their feet in order to meet their tight deadlines. I found this chapter to be super interesting and insightful as it dives into the actual day to day life of a sports journalist.
Chapter 2:
My biggest takeaway from chapter 2 was all about Beat Reporters and the different types of sources they may use. A beat reporter is someone who consistently covers the same specific team, sport, or area of sports. Because they are able to focus on the same group over time, they develop a deeper knowledge and understanding. They also build stronger relationships within that team/teams which creates a greater accessibility to sources. For example, they may have access to “Behind the Scenes Sources”. These could be any team personnel ranging from equipment managers to the security guard stationed outside the team locker room. These sources could be crucial to your story, and are also super rare to come by. Without beat reporters, it would be hard to get the different angles that these sources provide. For this reason I found the whole idea of Beat Reporters to be super interesting in this chapter.
In Chapter 1, “Living the Life,” I learned about the extreme unpredictability of working in sports journalism. Amie Just explains that this career operates in a constant state of “organized chaos” – organization in the sense of pre-planned deadlines, newsroom schedules, and coverage of upcoming games, but chaos in the unpredictability of sports itself. One day can look completely different from the next. For example, when Sean Payton unexpectedly stepped down as the Saints’ head coach, it instantly shifted the priorities and workflow of every reporter covering the team. Sports – and by extension, sports media – is an incredibly fast-paced industry, not only in terms of physical movement but also in those unanticipated moments that can rewrite your entire day. As Just notes, working in this field requires staying “on your toes” at all times because your schedule can change drastically without warning.
Another key takeaway from this chapter is the significance of sporting polls. These rankings are driven by journalists and broadcasters considered experts in their field. Four national writers, along with additional voters selected for geographic diversity, are responsible for voting on the most successful teams and individuals. These polls play an important role in engaging fans, shaping public perception, and fueling the media cycle that surrounds sports.
In Chapter 2, “Working With Sources,” the key takeaway is that strong interpersonal relationships are essential for sports reporters to stay accurate and informed. Beat reporters play a major role in this process because they specialize in a specific team, division, or sport, allowing them to develop deep knowledge and provide detailed coverage for fans.
Reporters rely on three main types of sources. Primary sources include coaches, players, and team administrators—the decision-makers and gatekeepers of information. Secondary sources are individuals closely connected to the team or event, offering unique perspectives and anecdotes. Material sources involve statistics, records, and behind-the-scenes staff who witness details the public rarely sees.
Accessing these sources requires outreach and relationship-building. At the collegiate and professional levels, this often involves working through team managers or public relations staff. Regardless of level, professionalism, respect, and finding common ground help establish trust. Networking and leaving a positive first impression are crucial for lasting connections. Finally, having proper credentials is key for gaining access to events and interviews.
Chapter one consists of the author explaining the life of a beat reporter constantly on the run. She explains how it is very fast paced. When reporting sports you will always be on the run. You must have an open availability to be on the go in order to capture the story. It can be frustrating having to live your life around your job. She mentions how in the past she has missed weddings, events, and other personal plans. She has even had to run out the door in the middle of a hair salon appointment once. She spent the first four years after high school studying journalism, English, and women and gender studies at the University of Kansas. Along with schooling she interned at the Washington Press, the Associated Press, and the Topeka Capital-Journal. Throughout her life she bounced between eleven different states in order to cover sports media.
Chapter two explains the complexities of sports journaling and reporting. A beat reporter is someone who covers the same sport, team, or league on a full-time basis. It is common for beat writers to be assigned to the same team for years. Some responsibilities a beat reporter has is to provide as much information as possible for fans to get to know their favorite teams. The best kind of reporters will tend to know everything about their team off the top of their head. In season is usually the busiest time for a beat reporter. But, what most people don’t know is that an offseason can be pretty busy as well for college and professional beat writers. An important thing to remember is where your information comes from–your sources. Primary sources may be coaches, players, teammates, athletic directors, and other administrators. Whereas secondary sources can be considered family, friends, etc.
In chapter one Amie Just talks about her experience as a sports reporter. Amie focused on the chaos side of sports reporting and how a seemingly normal day can turn into a chaotic one. As well as how many different sports she covers. She focuses mainly on her life covering football but also mentions how she covers volleyball and Mens and Womens Basketball. In Chapter two the main focus was the different types of sources and Beat reporting. A beat reporter is someone who covers the same team, sports, or league all the time. The main types of sources are Primary, Secondary, Material, and Anonymous. Primary sources are people directly connected to the news like coaches and players. Secondary sources would be for example a players friends and family. Material Sources are things like media guides, records books, and stat sheets. Finally anonymous sources are sources that are not known to the public and could possible give out more information due to the anonymity. Chapter two also talks about the importance of behind the scenes relationship building.
The first two chapters was clear how journalism is pretty much a responsibility and a skill. Chapter 1 focused a lot on why accuracy and fairness are so important. It explained that hm,news isn’t just about reporting what happened, but its more about giving people enough truth and background to actually understand it and not lying because a lot of times you see reporters lying. That showed me how much the audience relies on journalists to get it right. Chapter 2 switched up a little bit and talked more about the tools a reporter needs, like being able to see a players emotions, and asking good questions, and spotting what counts as news, not just something random. I liked how it said good interviews are not just about getting good quotes but making a story make sense, and that stuck with me because its so true. It made me realize those habits are useful outside of journalism too, in school or even sports. Overall the chapters showed me that journalism is about combining being a professional with everyday skills, which I’m excited to learn more about with this course.