Thursday, 30 January 2014

Caitlin Crawford Is A Great Role Model For Those Interested In A Career In Sports Broadcasting

By Judy Sullivan


University of Oklahoma graduate and Dallas native Caitlin Crawford got the internship opportunity of her dreams when she was chosen for the chance to work with the media department of the Dallas Cowboys. She was a longtime fan of this football team and was excited to be a part of it all and put the skills she had learned in the broadcast and electronic media program, which she graduated from in 2013, to good use.

In order to grab the attention of those in charge of choosing interns, Caitlin realized that it was important to show them just what she was capable of, that would set her apart from the rest, so she submitted her best produced articles and they were impressed. She was given a phone interview, and the rest is history.

As a word of advice to others who hope to follow in Crawford's footsteps, she says it's a good idea if one is interested in pursuing this career path, that he or she focus on becoming increasingly comfortable in front of the camera. It's also very important to have strong and convincing written communication skills, as well as being able to produce excellent video work and possessing technical savvy.

Crawford was happy to get the opportunity to put some of her acquired technical knowledge to practical use while on her internship besides having the chance to become more comfortable in front of the camera, she also got to apply her skills with editing software and applications and was thrilled when they relied on her to operate a new playback system which no one else was familiar with except her.

Before starting her position with the Cowboys, she prepared herself by learning as much as possible about all aspects of the team from its history to its individual players, staff members, and scores. Her internship spanned two summers when she was not attending classes, and she was also given the chance to produce a couple of other features for associated media company later on as well.

Duties as an intern tended to vary with each day's schedule for Caitlin. Her work was during the team's off-season, training camp period, and sometimes she would be responsible for interviewing the players when they were available. Active involvement in the production of televised programs, script and feature development were other tasks which made up her daily work schedule.

The skills Crawford considers as most important to an organization like the Dallas Cowboys are first of all being punctual and not having a problem with working overtime. Persistence, dedication, and learning from one's mistakes are also valued. A strong work ethic is also looked upon favorably, which is shown in one being a self-starter, doing careful research, and being an "ideas person".

Caitlin Crawford is very grateful for the experience she had working with the Dallas Cowboys and she one day hopes to have a career in sports broadcast journalism. Having this unique opportunity to put on her resume along with active participation in her school's newscasting department, her chances of obtaining a fulfilling position with a sports organization or news station are quite good.




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