Hunter Atkins is a sports writer and reporter who is based out of Houston, Texas. He covers many different sports, including baseball, boxing, bull running, basketball, football, and NASCAR. He is very successful and has been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal, to name a few. One of the questions that Mr. Atkins is frequently asked is how he got his start as a sports writer and reporter. This is a hard field to break into, and people are intrigued to learn how someone did it. Continue reading to know more about how he came to be the successful sportswriter he is today.
The Beginning Career As a Sports Writer
Hunter Atkins began his career as a sports writer at the age of 17. He was able to work as a reporter for The Chicago Sun-Times. He covered a few baseball games, and this is where his love for being a sports writer flourished. He loved the experience and quickly realized he had a lot of talent. However, he knew that if he really wanted to make it as a sports writer, he would need to further his education. This writing experience paved the path for him to attend college and to know exactly what he wanted to major in.
Furthering His Education
After finishing high school, Hunter Atkins attended Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. While he was enrolled in school, he continued to seek writing opportunities. He interned as a staff reporter for Newsday and even worked abroad for a few months, writing for The Cape Times in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2011, Mr. Atkins graduated from college.
The Big Break
Unfortunately, upon graduating college, Hunter Atkins realized that it was going to be harder to break into the industry than he anticipated. Not only is the industry challenging to begin with, but the economy had taken a downturn and many companies were not hiring. With little work in the United States, Mr. Atkins decided to head to Europe. It was there that he decided to engage in a tradition and run with the bulls in a town called Pamplona in Spain. The experience was interesting, and Mr. Atkins decided to write about it. In doing so, he was able to impress New York Times sports editor Joe Sexton, who gave him a huge opportunity to write for the New York Times. And as they say, the rest is history.
Hunter Atkins loves his job and he does not take the position for granted. He knows that many people would love to work as a sports writer, but unfortunately, it is a tough field to get into and be successful in. However, if you are a great storyteller who is passionate about sports, you too may find that you can be successful in the field with some hard work, a great story, and a little bit of luck.
