What I Learned From My First Coverage Team
A team that was learning to be a team when I was learning to be a reporter.
As my second year of college comes to an end, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on how far I have come in two years since I left home with aspirations to become a sports journalist.
I came to college with no experience and no confidence, but more than willing to learn everything.
When the second semester of freshman year rolled around, I finally felt confident enough to try out for a coverage team as a reporter. Only one team caught my eye and I don't think I have looked back ever since.
The Arizona State men's tennis team was being reinstated beginning the 2017-2018 season after eight years since they last played a match with a team.
It was a team that consisted of players from different parts of the world that was learning how to play as a team and with one another in a state they had never been in, in weather they have never endured.
I learned a lot that first season.
I learned that I was not as good of a writer as I once thought I was. I learned just how important an interview can be for a story. I learned that I have a passion for social media and photography, which I never realized could actually help me in my career.
I learned to not be afraid.
Just like the team I was covering, I learned to not be afraid of going out there to give it your all even if there is the chance you might fail. You never know how much it can actually pay off.
Because of this experience of covering this team, I felt confident enough in trying out for other coverage teams and even felt the desire to come back and cover this team for the second season in a row.
Another season of growth, appreciation, and experiences that just keep molding me into a better journalist.
