My first three months as Content Coordinator of GiveMeSport Women have flown by. I moved to Snack Media from a much smaller company, meaning there was a lot to adapt to, but I feel I have settled in well with the help of my colleagues. It has also been great to occasionally work from the office as lockdown restrictions ease, allowing me to meet people in real life instead of over Zoom.
One of the reasons I took up the GMSw Content Coordinator role was because it offered the opportunity to be part of an exciting project from the very start. It has been brilliant to see the women’s sport section grow rapidly over the past three months, which is testament to the hard work of reporters Olly Roberts and Georgia Goulding.
I have been particularly proud of the high-quality exclusive interviews we have produced. These range from features on Olympic athletes such as Maddie Hinch and Shauna Coxsey, to chats with star footballers Ellen White and Fara Williams.
Many of our interviews have shared the untold story of a female athlete, or tackled an issue which does not normally receive column inches. A recent example is a fascinating interview with climber Caroline Ciavaldini, who is currently balancing a love for outdoor adventure with motherhood.
I also believe GMSw is producing analysis of women’s sport which can’t be found anywhere else – whether this is the top five players Arsenal should sign this summer, in-depth profiles of the main Wimbledon contenders, or the biggest names to look out for during the upcoming W Series.
It has been great to collaborate with other organisations who see the value in women’s sport. We currently produce long-form pieces to complement the release of the excellent game changers podcast, which is produced by Sue Anstiss of Fearless Women and the Women’s Sport Collective. There are also plans in the pipeline to work with the Women’s Sport Alliance and their members.
I am looking forward to continuing to help GMSw grow and become the main destination for women’s sport. This is the overarching ambition – to have fans visit our website to consume women’s sport content, and to have access to a wide range of female athletes to ensure their stories are being told. GMSw is not just a tick box exercise for Snack Media – there is a real desire to offer fans unprecedented access, groundbreaking coverage, and in-depth analysis of women’s sport.
In the coming months, we have Wimbledon, the Olympics and Paralympics, and the start of the next Women’s Super League season to look forward to. Looking further ahead, both the UEFA European Championships and the Commonwealth Games will be taking place in England next year. GMSw is aiming to be at the forefront of covering the female athletes at these events, cementing our reputation as the home of women’s sport.
