The Group Chat: Being a woman in sports is tough
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Meet Lex Allison (Manager, Branded Content), Rachel Smith (Senior Social Media Producer), and Alessandra Puccio (Sports News Producer). They were were more than yappy happy to talk about their journeys into the sports world.
🥎 Let’s start with a softball question: What was your first job in sports?
RS: I was a social media intern at Bleacher Report. That was the coolest job because I was living in NY, everyone at the office was really young and cool, and it was such a diverse environment. They were saying “yes” to every single idea I had. It also led to my next job because one of my mentors then hired me to work for the Miami Dolphins.
AP: I was a volunteer soccer referee for my town’s youth league. I think I was paid in Dunkin Donuts and lemonade. But shoutout to the Oyster Bay Tornadoes — you made me who I am today.
LA: Technically, my first job in sports was timekeeping (and sometimes DJing) our small town's house league hockey games on evenings and weekends. I was 14, and I must have been making something like $7 an hour.
👀 Tell our readers about your job at The GIST.
AP: I write for our flagship newsletter, as well as The Group Chat, and I produce our sports news and culture podcast, The GIST of It.
LA: I oversee the strategy and execution of our branded content across all GIST platforms.
RS: My job is to tell the best stories around sports. I make sure that GISTers see what they want to see and see themselves come to life on our social feed.
💪 Why did you want to work in sports, and how did you land at The GIST?
LA: I was a massive sports fan growing up. I watched SportsCentre on TSN (Americans, that’s the Canadian ESPN) every single morning before high school. I was determined to find some sort of career path in journalism and sports, I just didn't know what yet.
- In 2017, I was served a Facebook ad for a newsletter that focused on leveling the playing field by covering women's and men's sports equally. I was hooked on that purpose statement from the start, reached out to see how I could help, and the rest is history.
AP: I started my media career as a television news producer, which was great until it wasn’t — working in “hard news” is tough. I became a freelance writer, and that’s how I found The GIST. I applied for three jobs here at once, was hired as a part-time newsletter writer, and a year later was promoted to my full-time role.
RS: I love storytelling and I knew I wanted to work somewhere where I could be creative, do on-camera work, interview athletes, interact with fans, and cater to women, specifically. We have a unique way of looking at the world, so that should be translated to how we interact with sports. Enter: The GIST.
👏 What advice do you have for women trying to break into the sports industry?
RS: Don’t be afraid of being seen trying. There are a lot of people who are so talented and don’t have belief in themselves, and that’s what will hold you back. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and make content. Go to the thing. Do the thing. You never know when opportunity will meet preparation.
LA: Find your community. Every big opportunity I’ve gotten has come from putting myself out there. No one will know who you are if you don’t put yourself in their path. Virtual meetings are great, but IRL coffee chats are even better. Send the Instagram DM, the LinkedIn message, the email. Build real relationships, and when the next opportunity comes up, you’ll be the person they think of first.
AP: Retweet, gals. Being a woman in sports means being brave.
🫂 Is there a part of this job that scared you at first, but now you love?
LA: Speaking of putting yourself out there…talking to people. If I could go the rest of my life without hopping on an intimidating call with 30+ agency managers and execs judging me from their desks across North America, it would be too soon. I’ll probably never love that feeling, but I’ve learned to genuinely relish the opportunity to make those connections.
AP: I was so afraid of being wrong when I began working here. I didn’t have years of sports knowledge at my disposal — I remember having to Google “what is a football safety.” Thankfully, my editor pointed out my blind spots with care…but without letting me off the hook. I’m so grateful for that accountability now.
RS: I’d never worked with essentially all women before The GIST. Sometimes women in sports are fearful that there can only be one of us in the room, and I’ve had a lot of negative experiences in that way. Coming to The GIST, I was so nervous, but everyone has been so kind and encouraging and very genuine. I feel lucky to be at a place where I can bring my full self.
