BY MORGAN LANDES | Ball State Sports Link

For starters, I have never been to a big city like Atlanta, nor have I ever seen an airport that big.

When I was trying to guide my friend Kaitlyn Young and I out of the place, all I saw was baggage claim signs pointing directly to the train. Long story short, it was a train wreck … no pun intended.

Turner Sports, and its employees, put together an amazing conference called She’s Got Game.

Fortunately, Kaitlyn and I were able to go and represent Ball State Sports Link at the first annual event.

We also were able to reconnect with 2017 Sports Link Alum, Allison Wilson, who started her first job at Turner Sports in August.

The discussion was about women in the sports broadcasting industry and how to continue bringing women into this field, but also about the industry overall and how to get started.

We toured Turner Sports throughout most of the day. From the studios to the social media hub, Turner has a lot to offer.

The panel of women who spoke preached that women can do the same things men can do in this industry, if women continue to strive for the same skill sets the men do and perform.

It was discussed that women don’t just “get lucky” and get jobs in this industry. There has to be a level of qualification and skill to continue them throughout the industry to keep the companies growing or these women simply wouldn’t be hired.

So, women, if you’re reading this and wanting to make your way through the sports industry in some way, DO IT!

However, don’t think you’ll get lucky.

Have some skill sets behind you and work your way into a position.

From there, strive to be in the sports industry wherever your journey can lead you.

Another part of the discussion was about how to go about getting your foot in the door.  A couple things really stood out to me for everyone — men and women.  It’s also the same principles we learn at Ball State.

SAY YES!

• Have some energy when you do it. Be willing to do anything, be friendly and be positive.
• Morgan Dewan, the Vice President of Social Media for Turner said it like this: “Let’s talk baseball here. Come from a place of saying yes, show up and knock it out of the park.”
• You’ll never be asked to freelance if your answer is always no. If you don’t know a position or sport that well, say yes to the opportunity and then prepare yourself by researching what to do.
• This is how you get your foot in the door and make connections.

BE A SPONGE!

• Have an open mind and eyes. Be willing to take in as much information as you can at first.
• Being a sponge helps learn everyone else’s positions. If you understand what everyone else is doing to some degree, it will make you more versatile in the long run.
• Providing help is noticed!!! Take in as much as you can then provide assistance when you feel you know the area well enough.

Freelancing and sports definitely isn’t for everyone. Therefore, if you’re one who doesn’t like sports or who isn’t interested in freelancing, look at these two pointers as life overall.  They still matter.

Saying yes only leads you to more opportunities. Even if you do a horrible job, you can still learn from the experience and move forward.

Being a sponge is always a good thing when it comes to taking in information as well. The more you know, the better off you are.