Sports are the greatest and purest stories the world has to offer. The journalism, media, and broadcasting of sports are how those stories are shared with the world. I have always been obsessed with the drama and emotion competitive athletics can invoke in someone. I want to help tell those stories in my own way for the rest of my life.
Sports serve as a great connector amongst all people. In a society so greatly divided by a multitude of divisive identifications sports helps connect these people. They are so intertwined into our cultural society and how we identify as people and connect with others. I've always been fascinated with how sports affect culture and vice versa. The stories become so much more important in this regard and I've been lucky enough to tell them.
Athletics have always been a huge part of my life. My father played Division 1 football at UC Davis, and my mother swam competitively much of her youth and was a junior jewish Olympic participant. From a young age I was exposed to sports both playing and consuming and fell in love with them instantly. I played all sports as a youth but stuck with soccer my entire life. I played high-level club competition against and with many players in professional academies, some who have now turned pro. I continue to play soccer today having been selected for the Arizona State Men's Club Soccer team.
As a fan I have been beyond obsessed with sports stories for as long as I can remember. From the youngest ages of just three or four years old I can recall always opting to watch any sports documentaries I can get my hands on (I've likely watched every ESPN 30 for 30 and NFL's "A Football life" in the catalog) as opposed to cartoons etc. I've been an avid NFL and NBA fan (specifically the 49ers and Kings being from Sacramento, California) my entire life.
The sports documentaries and stories being told to me my entire life led me to chose to pursue a degree in sports journalism at Arizona State's Cronkite School, which is one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the country. The goal was simple. Find a way, any way, to not only become. apart of the story but more importantly do the service of sharing them with the world. Whether I'm in studio doing an on-air segment, writing a game report, doing live broadcast analysis, creating highlight packages, for a number of places the goal never changes- tell the stories in as much description to fully immerse as many people as possible in the spectacle. Simply put, to give the gift of sports back to as many people as I can.
I want to pursue a career in this industry because when discussing sports is when I am at my most self and having the most fun. Sports are my life and bring me the most enjoyment in all facets and I refuse to not always enjoy what I do every day of my life. I'm thankful for the joy they've given me and hopeful I'll have the chance to give that sam enjoy back to the world for the rest of my life.
"The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
Thank you for viewing my work and visiting my site
Always,
Devon Henderson