What does a sports writer do?
Sports writers report informative and insightful sports stories and articles and the results of sporting events on a daily basis. They help keep fans up to date on games and team news such as injuries, exciting events, player transactions, and changes in coaches and other personnel. They also write feature stories on teams, players, and coaches. They provide commentaries, statistics, personal opinions, and projections for the season. They also provide insight of why teams do well or poor throughout the season. Many sports writers write about a specific sport or team and others write about all sports in a certain area. Some sports writers focus on books and thorough analyses of certain teams, players, or seasons.
What kind of training does a sports writer need?
Sports writers must have at least a high school diploma, but most have a college degree in sports journalism, journalism, English, or related field. Many aspiring sports writers work for school or local newspapers writing about sports events to gain practical experience and open up career opportunities with larger publications. Some also participate in internships. Many sports writers create portfolios on their writing to be able to present to potential employers. Sports writers must stay up to date on the current advancements in the field and they consistently attend writing workshops and participate in writing courses to improve their writing skills throughout their career.
What are the prospects for a career as a sports writer?
Employment of all writers is expected to grow about as fast as average for all professions, increasing 10% from 2006 to 2016 (1). Job growth for sports writers will be driven by the increased interest in sports and technological advancements in the field.
Job prospects are expected to be good with keen competition for high paying positions. Sports writers with advanced education and extensive experience will have the best prospects. Job openings will also arise from the need to replace sports writers that retire, transfer, or leave the field for other reasons.
How much do sports writer make?
As of October 2009, the average annual salary for sports writers is $49,000; average annual sports writers salaries vary greatly on location, employer, industry, experience, and benefits (2).
A career as a sports writer is a great choice for people who have a strong interest in sports and enjoy writing. Sports writers must be creative, detail-oriented, objective, and self-motivated. They must have excellent oral and written communication and be able to work under pressure to meet strict deadlines. Sports writers must have a thorough understanding of sports and good rapport with teams, athletes, coaches, and other sports personnel.
