Over the past 3-4 months in this Sport Communication 462, I feel like I have grown a lot as both a writer and a communicator. At the beginning of the semester, I did not fully understand how many different types of writing go into sports communication. I mostly thought it was just about reporting scores or talking about games, but this class showed me that there is a lot more to it. Through the different assignments, I was able to practice multiple styles of writing and learn how to adjust my tone depending on the topic and purpose.

One of the biggest areas where I improved was in my sports writing. For example, when I worked on the World Baseball Classic USA vs. Great Britain recap, I had to focus on clearly explaining what happened in the game while also keeping the reader engaged. That assignment helped me understand the importance of being detailed but also organized so the reader can easily follow along. On the other hand, the Dak Prescott mental health assignment was very different. Instead of just reporting on a game, I had to talk about a serious issue in sports and explain why it matters. That pushed me to think more deeply and write in a more meaningful and respectful way. It showed me that sports communication is not just about entertainment, but also about telling important stories that can have a real impact.

Another major part of this class was the pen pal assignment, where I communicated with Ted Alexander throughout the semester. At first, communication was a little slow and he seemed unsure about the assignment, but over time it improved. As the semester went on, I became more comfortable reaching out, asking questions, and having more professional conversations. This assignment helped me improve my communication skills, especially through emails and interviews. By the end, I feel like I created a strong pen pal journal and gained real experience in how to communicate with professionals in the field.

The peer review process was also important for my growth. I noticed that every time I completed a peer review, I got better at understanding the writing I was reading and giving more helpful and detailed feedback. Early in the semester, my feedback was more basic, but over time I became more confident in pointing out specific strengths and areas for improvement. This also helped my own writing because I started to notice things in other people’s work that I could fix or improve in my own.

Building and improving my Sport Journal was another key part of this class. Throughout the semester, I continued to develop it and make it more professional. I worked on organizing my posts, improving the overall design, and making sure everything was easy to read and visually appealing. This process helped me realize how important it is to have a strong digital presence, especially in a field like sports communication.

This class also helped me better understand my role in the modern sport communication environment. Today, anyone can be a content creator, especially through social media and platforms like WordPress. Through my Sport Journal, I was not just completing assignments, but also actively participating in the sports media space by creating and sharing my own content. This made me realize that in the future, I will need to continue building my online presence and producing content that represents my voice and perspective. These are skills that will be valuable in any career path related to sports or communication.

Overall, this class helped me grow in multiple ways and gave me a better understanding of what sports communication really is. I feel more confident in my abilities and more prepared for future opportunities, and I now have a strong foundation that I can continue to build on moving forward.