Jane McManus, a prominent sports writer and NYU professor, shares insights from her extensive career and her role as editor of The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024. They discuss the evolving narratives in sports and the prominence of women's sports. McManus recounts a unique journey of a fan turned roller derby participant, emphasizing personal connections in the sport. The dialogue also touches on the camaraderie between tennis legends and critical issues like inclusivity and storytelling in contemporary sports journalism.
Jane McManus's journey in sports highlights how personal experiences in athletics can profoundly shape one’s identity and career in journalism.
The editing process for 'The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024' underscores the importance of recognizing diverse talent and elevating the standards in sports journalism.
Deep dives
Jane McManus and Her Journey in Sports
Jane McManus reflects on her passion for full-contact sports, which began with playing basketball in New York City. Her love for the sport led her to roller derby, where she played professionally for seven years under the pseudonym Leslie E. Vicerati, a nod to sports writer Leslie Visser. This connection between her experiences in contact sports and her career as a sports writer underscores how sports shape identities and foster a sense of community. McManus’s journey highlights the intersection of personal interests and professional pursuits within the realm of sports journalism.
Curating the Year's Best Sports Writing
The process of editing 'The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024' involved sifting through hundreds of submissions from various writers, including young talents eager for recognition. McManus emphasizes the importance of finding the best examples of sports writing to elevate the industry's standards and commemorate exceptional work. Collaborating with an advisory committee, she worked meticulously to ensure notable pieces did not slip through the cracks, viewing inclusion in the anthology as a significant career highlight for contributors. This commitment to recognizing talent reflects the ongoing challenges within the evolving sports journalism landscape.
The Evolution of Sports Journalism
The conversation touches on the changing dynamics of sports journalism, particularly with regard to coverage of established athletes and pivotal topics, such as the LPGA's policies on transgender athletes. McManus discusses the complexities surrounding discussions of inclusion and competitive fairness in sports, advocating for a focus on skill rather than solely on gender. Her insights reveal a broader conversation about accessibility and understanding among athletes at various levels, including youth sports. This reflects a growing need to reimagine inclusivity within sports while acknowledging the tensions present in traditional competitive structures.
Jane McManus, sports writer, an adjunct professor at New York University at the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport and the editor of The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024 (Triumph, 2024) and author of the forthcoming The Fast Track: Inside the Surging Business of Women's Sports (Temple University Press, 2025), looks back on some of the best writing about sports and athletes this year.
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