Covering Sports in Chicago has been a Dream Come True
A Journey to Covering High School Girls Basketball
I was at Bolingbrook High School last December watching the Raiders play Homewood-Flossmoor. Trinity Jones, one of the best players in the high school class of 2026, went the length of the court in just three dribbles and finished with a right-handed layup. She was a tantalizing talent, blocking shots and asserting her dominance on the court. That was my first major introduction to the immense girls basketball talent in the state.
From Trial and Error to Finding My Groove
A few months later, at the Illinois High School Association Class 4A state championship game, Loyola guard Aubrey Galvan drained a 3 from near half-court with the score tied in the third quarter. Her team finished the season undefeated and was routinely one of the most exciting teams to watch thanks to a fast-paced style.
Those were just two of the multiple games that completely impressed me with the individual talent on the floor — and how lucky I was to be covering this for a living. In awe of their skill, I felt a great duty to ensure the reader could see exactly what happened in the games and give these impressive student athletes their due. Covering these games since the fall of 2023 has been an amazing experience for me.
The Dream Job
It was actually that February when my dream job listing posted: The Sun-Times was hiring a sports reporter in conjunction with Report for America, a nonprofit that places emerging journalists in newsrooms to cover under-reported issues and communities. This reporter would focus on high school sports, particularly girls. The Sun-Times hadn’t employed a regular girls basketball reporter since 2011.
I immediately applied. As a Chicago native, I grew up with the Sun-Times, reading the work of sports scribes such as Rick Telander and Russell Dorsey as well as Maddie Lee and Ben Pope in more recent years — among many others. In many ways, they have profoundly affected my career, so I knew the weight of the opportunity.
Building Relationships and Phrasing Questions
After interviewing and landing the job, I knew I had work to do. Though I wouldn’t start until after I graduated from Northwestern’s master’s of sports journalism program, I had to figure out the best players in the area, connect with coaches and start building those relationships.
A lot of the first year on the job was a trial-and-error process. The Sun-Times has more than 100 schools in its coverage area — and thanks to the outstanding job that preps editor Michael O’Brien does — I had somewhat of a blueprint to follow. I started emailing coaches and trying to learn more about their teams and players. Connecting with adults was something that I had no problem doing. Through internships and graduate school, I’d interviewed adults numerous times, but I had never interviewed a high school student.
That turned out to be a challenge because there was more onus on me to phrase a question as perfectly as possible. There was one instance in which I interviewed an athlete from St. Ignatius College Prep — her first interview ever. She was nervous at first, not wanting to say the wrong thing, choosing her words carefully. But the more questions I asked, the more comfortable she became.
Navigating an athlete’s inexperience helped me improve my phrasing. I learned to streamline questions and be more direct. That experience helped in covering several other sports for the Sun-Times.
Reactions and Reflections
The reactions to my coverage, frankly, have been overwhelming. From exuberant reader emails expressing how much they enjoyed my stories, to parents approaching me during games to tell me how they bought stacks of newspapers with stories about their kids — people couldn’t have been more gracious.
I also covered the Sky and the WNBA, and it’s clear that women’s basketball is in an unprecedented era of visibility and growing numbers of fans yearning for coverage. High school girls basketball is no different — and I’m glad I’ve been able to contribute.
Conclusion
Covering sports in Chicago has been a dream come true. I feel fortunate to have been able to share the stories of these talented student athletes with the world. As I continue to cover high school girls basketball, I look forward to seeing the growth and development of these young women and the impact they will have on the sport.
FAQs
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in sports journalism?
A: Growing up in Chicago, I was surrounded by the city’s rich sports history and the iconic Sun-Times sports section. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a part of that tradition.
Q: What was the most challenging part of your job?
A: Initially, it was navigating the world of high school sports and building relationships with coaches and athletes. It was a new experience for me, and I had to learn to adapt quickly.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of your job?
A: Seeing the impact that my stories have had on the athletes and their families. Hearing from readers who appreciate the coverage and seeing the excitement on the faces of the athletes when they read about themselves in the paper.
