ICETIMETV presenter Rachel Jones has spoken of her excitement ahead of the Women and Sport Conference on Wednesday. (16th)
The third-year Journalism student is speaking alongside women who currently work in the industry and are keen to use their experience to inspire others.
The event is organised by Sports Journalism students at the University of South Wales and is the second annual conference run by those on the course, which launched in 2017.
Jones will speak about covering her chosen sport, ice hockey. She is hoping to use her reporting experience to help pave her way in her chosen a career.
“It’s a really good opportunity, after doing the Cardiff Met conference, I was full-on ready to do this one.
“It’s another great chance to meet people in the industry, especially women who have struggled, who have been successful. I can’t wait!”
Last month, Rachel attended the Women in Sports Journalism conference which was run by NUJ Training Wales in conjunction with Cardiff Metropolitan University at Cyncoed Campus.
Cardiff Metropolitan’s conference had appearances from Guardian writer Anna Kessel, who was the keynote speaker, as well as female media professionals from a broadcast and writing background.
“I thought it was really good. It gave me a better insight into how other people feel in the industry and it gave me the chance to express how I am doing, as well as my challenges and who I look up to. It just gave me the confidence to speak out.
“It was just incredible, listening to people such as Anna Kessel, who’s such a big star, it was just inspiring – it gave me so much to look up to.”
Jones’ sporting background is in ice hockey, where she has covered the Champions Hockey League, as well as working with the Cardiff Devils. Through her work in the Champions Hockey League, she travelled to Växjö, Sweden last summer where she interviewed Växjö coach Sam Hallam and Jyväskylä Coach Marko Virtanen.
The third-year Journalism student set up her own website ‘A Hockey Journal’, alongside three of her peers to provide coverage for ice hockey in the United Kingdom.
“The Devils competed in Europe, they could compete against higher level leagues, but it hasn’t been broadcast at all, so I really hope to be part of that movement to bring it home and push it to the top.
“I’m hoping to be the second female journalist to broadcast them, show what they can do, how successful they are in the UK.”
For more information on USW’s Women and Sport Conference on Wednesday, follow continued content here on ExpoSport.co.uk and on our social media feeds using #WASConf.
To book tickets for the event, visit the Eventbrite link.
(Featured Image: Ben Rice)
