Before enrolling in Sport Communication this semester, I never seriously considered sports communication as a career path for me. I have always loved sports as a fan, especially keeping up with games, athletes, and social media discussions, but I never really thought about the work behind creating sports content and communicating it to audiences. This course completely changed my perspective on the sports world and the media surrounding it.
One of the best parts of this course was having the opportunity to write about sports myself. Before taking this class, I mostly consumed sports content through Instagram, ESPN, and podcasts without thinking about who created it or how communication strategies were used to engage audiences. Through blogging assignments and class discussions, I learned how creative and exciting sport communication can be. I enjoyed sharing my opinions, analyzing sports topics, and creating content that could connect with fans. This class helped me realize that sports media is not just about scores and highlights; it is also about storytelling, branding, entertainment, and audience engagement.
One topic that stood out to me was the role of social media in sports communication. Social media has completely transformed the relationship between athletes, teams, organizations, and fans because communication is now much more direct and interactive. Discussions about athlete branding, crisis communication, and online engagement showed me how important communication has become in today’s sports industry. I never realized how quickly a single post, interview, or message could influence an athlete’s reputation or shape public opinion. Creating the TikTok for this class was fun, and surprisingly, people started following me.
Another assignment that was especially meaningful to me was the pen pal assignment. Through this project, I was able to make a connection with Chuck Walls, the Vice President of Player Engagement for the Philadelphia Eagles. Being able to communicate with someone who works professionally in the sports industry was an amazing experience and one that I honestly would not have had without this class. It made the sports communication field feel more real and achievable for me. Learning from someone with firsthand experience gave me insight into the importance of networking, professionalism, and communication in sports careers. I am hoping to continue building that connection in the future because it opened my eyes to opportunities I had never considered before.
The hands-on assignments were the most valuable part of the course for me because they allowed me to practice real communication skills instead of only reading about them. Publishing blog posts, analyzing sports media, and learning how to communicate with different audiences helped build my confidence as a writer and communicator. These are skills that I know I can use in the future, whether I pursue a career in sports communication or another field entirely.
This class surprised me in the best way possible. At first, I thought it would simply be another communication course, but it turned out to be much more engaging. I loved your videos. It reminded me that sports communication is everywhere and that fans themselves play a role in shaping conversations online. Most importantly, it showed me that something I casually enjoyed, like talking about sports, could potentially become a meaningful career opportunity. Only criticism is that this class would be amazing in person; I missed the back-and-forth banter between the teacher and classmates.