Hayley Elwood, Team Reporter for the Los Angeles Chargers

What does your 7 days look like in the course of the standard period?

The NFL period is like a school 12 months, so you typically know what to assume in some potential. During the period, I go to push conferences, perhaps crafting off them or conducting interviews if they can be scheduled. On match times pre-COVID, and hopefully we’re trending that way all over again, I sat up in the press box all through the video game ahead of likely down to the locker home to do interviews. The last few many years, I have also accomplished a podcast known as Playmakers, which focuses on women of all ages in and all-around the NFL. That is normally a recording session on Mondays and Tuesdays and I write-up them on Wednesdays. There is a good deal of scheduling and scheduling months in progress.

What is your planning method for interviews?

That’s a fantastic concern due to the fact that is the most vital component of my task. It is really a large amount of tabs open on my online browser. I applied to be a diligent writer and took notes by hand, but I believe operating remotely has transitioned me into performing more on my cellular phone and computer. It can be a good deal of exploration, looking up unique articles or blog posts and tweets, and I have a jogging document of factoids and estimates — either from our Chargers PR personnel, which does a good position of sending estimates all-around from push conferences, or other interviews on NFL Community and other media shops. I make observe of anything and adhere it in my back pocket for when I may want it. It can be an infinite point-discovering mission, which is variety of exciting.

When I do individuals Homecoming options, I have to learn about a man pre-NFL. It can be a great deal of study from nearby papers or college clips and recaps. In some cases it is even heading back to superior college coverage, which is the things I begun out executing. It is really a method that hardly ever actually ends.

I’ll say this, also: Part of remaining a great journalist, host, expertise, and so forth., is remaining well prepared. We have amazing producers at the Chargers and we have a really symbiotic romance. They know I’m heading to demonstrate up to an interview geared up. Currently being self-sufficient is huge and sets you apart in this marketplace.

What is the most hard component of your occupation?

I believe most individuals would defer to the time and the program, but you know that likely in. You know from the conclude of July to, and fingers crossed, the center of February that you are overloaded and months are insane. But I consider the most complicated section goes again to preparation simply because you often have to be tapped in. I imagine element of that is locating that balance of not generally looking at your mobile phone and the news, but it is really all however incredibly pleasurable to me. If it at any time becomes a chore, then it can be likely time to move on.

Introducing to that, when you seem at an occasion like the draft, you you should not know who your staff is choosing. I could possibly have 20 minutes to completely learn about a player just before you get him on Zoom for an interview. Which is a obstacle but it has gotten less difficult as the yrs have absent on since I know what research patterns get the job done finest for me.

Finding a stability is tough, for positive. Now, let us pivot and discuss about mentorship. Do you have any mentors who have served you in your profession? And what assistance have they provided you?

In virtually each individual job I have had functioning in sports, I have been employed by a female. I imagine which is so amazing. Denise White at EAG Sporting activities Management, Nicoletta Ruhl at the Chargers and Lisa Estrada hired me at the Los Angeles Lakers when I hosted for them in 2015-16 — that was Kobe Bryant’s ultimate season. It can be been seriously interesting to have eyes on so a lot of remarkable women of all ages as I’ve started out.

In phrases of mentorship, Alex Flanagan and Laura Okmin are two huge resources for me. I try to remember all through my initial season covering the draft with the Chargers, I was in the media center and Alex, who used to be a reporter with NFL Community and has since moved into the agent globe, was in there. She was so welcoming and sweet, and we have stayed in contact ever given that. When I experienced the opportunity to become the Chargers’ preseason sideline reporter, it was a role that she had earlier held, and she truly attained out to me inquiring to get coffee and examine the ins and outs of that position. She didn’t have to do that but which is just the style of individual she is. Laura, who operates for Fox Sporting activities and operates her Galvanize application, does so a great deal for so quite a few. She does not have young children of her possess but she has hundreds of daughters in this market, fundamentally. I linked with her several years back when I was form of at a crossroads, and she was such a wonderful sounding board for me in my career and own life, supplying ideas for how to do your occupation and navigate daily life. She is phenomenal and I will generally sing those praises. Her plan is assisting to make it less complicated for young gals to appear into the sector.