I’ll be the first to admit I’m not really a “sports person.” Yes, I do yoga, I like running, and skiing is one of my favourite things to do in the winter, but team sports like soccer or hockey were never my thing.
Now, on the other hand, my best friend in elementary school was the sporty girl. Every lunch hour at school she would play soccer with the boys… and then there was me, reluctantly tagging along with her because I had nothing else to do. Still, I’ll give her credit for sticking by my side, she always made sure I was never picked last for the team, even though I was terrible.
So, given my relationship, or lack-thereof, with sports, how did I end up working as part of the broadcast crew for the Port Moody Panthers junior hockey club?
The answer is simple: I wanted to try something new. I wanted to put myself in an environment where I could grow. And what better place for a 21-year-old girl who knows next to nothing about sports to do that than a junior hockey team?
Even if I was going to make an idiot of myself, its Junior B hockey, NOBODY will remember, it’s not like I’m working for the Canucks!
Pre-season game between @PJHLPanthers vs. @SurreyKnights
👇👇👇https://t.co/Fg0t8Qe8EF— davidstevens.photo (@d_stevensphoto) September 2, 2022
So last season I started out behind the camera, which honestly, does not require much knowledge of hockey at all. Just follow the puck, simple enough.
Still, I went into the job knowing I was probably going to be the only woman on the crew, which can be intimidating. But I was pleasantly surprised when I met my co-workers who turned out to be super friendly and more than willing to explain things to me without making me feel stupid.
That season I also got the chance to try being a colour commentator for one night, and it really forced me to learn more about the game and be curious about something that I would otherwise not pay any attention to.
So far, so good.
Now this season I’m the PA announcer. There was an opening for that job position and I was like, you know what, let’s just do it. I’ve kind of got the ropes now, let’s challenge myself a bit further. And yes, I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m still going to do it.
But again, I am lucky that I work with very supportive people, because not all work environments are so welcoming to woman in male-dominated fields.
To many men reading this, it may not seem like a big deal.
So what, PA announcer for a Junior B hockey team? Easy!
But in such a male dominated environment, where there’s this impression that you need to show off your machismo at all times, it can stop woman from even trying to apply for the job, even if they are knowledgeable about sports to begin with.
At the Port Moody Panthers we also have a female colour commentator and I was shocked to find out that there are no other woman in the league in this position!
So, I just want to leave you off with this message: To all the woman and girls out there, don’t be afraid to step into this space!
Be curious, be open to new opportunities, but also hold space for discomfort. It’s definitely a different type of environment, and I think a lot of women have heard of horror stories about working in male dominated fields, but not every place is going to be like that.
If we don’t take chances like this, it will never get better for woman working in sports.
And that doesn’t mean that every woman out there suddenly needs to become a trailblazer and force herself into sports media. But for those of you who are curious about doing a job like this, if I can do it, so can you.