My career goal is to eventually work in sports broadcasting and sports media. Over the past several years, I have gained necessary experience to help me excel in this field including research, writing, media production and communication. More recently, I have become more directly involved with hockey through refereeing, scorekeeping as well as directly being involved with the technical side of a game broadcast. I have worked countless Blazers games, as well as being the game producer for a handful of Memorial Cup games in 2023.
Over the past four years, I have worked in professional journalism and communication related roles that have allowed me to strengthen my skills in reporting, writing and organization. This taught me how to communicate information more effectively and clearly while still adapting messages to different target audiences. Journalism requires high levels of accuracy, preparation and ability to analyze information quickly, all of which are vital parts of sports journalism. I have had a growing interest in sports media, developed through my involvement with ice hockey. Working as both a referee and scorekeeper gave me firsthand experience with rules and the pace of the game while being involved with the broadcasting and technical sides of the game introduced me to the collective nature broadcasting has. This includes coordination between the broadcaster and all staff to ensure the program runs smoothly. Observing and being able to participate directly in sports broadcasting show me how storytelling and technical production work together during a live event.
Another perspective I can bring to sports media is my international background. I have studied in three countries and lived in four, which has given me exposure to different cultures and communication styles. It has allowed me to get insight into how media differs across different countries and cultures. I think this global perspective is particularly important in sports media where coverages can reach across the world (for example the Olympics and FIFA.)
In addition to my international experience, I speak Mandarin as a second language, and Spanish as a third, which I feel demonstrates my communication abilities across more than just English speakers. Because of this, I am able to communicate to over 2 billion people. As a female pursing such a career as well, I am aware of the underrepresentation women have in this field. While the field has become more inclusive overtime, women still remain underrepresented and I hope to contribute to the industry by expanding representation, both as a Chinese Canadian and as a female.
Pursing a master’s degree in journalism is the next step to advance in my career. I believe my portfolio reflects the work I have done in journalism, communication as well as my involvement during sports and hockey. These experiences have allowed me to demonstrate my ability to work in high paced environments where the pressure is high and time is limited. Through graduate study, I look to further develop my skills and prepare for a career in journalism and help audiences understand the excitement of stories.