Phoenix,
AZ The
Association for Women in Sports Media (AWSM) is a 14-year-old worldwide organization of more than 600 women and men employed in sports writing, editing, broadcast and production, public relations and sports information. Once a year AWSM members gather for an annual convention to discuss industry topics and network.
PURPOSE OF AWSM
Although the presence of women in sports journalism isn't as unique as it was in the 1970s, women still must deal with many of the same roadblocks that Melissa Ludtke did as a reporter for Sports Illustrated in 1977 when Major League Baseball excluded women from interviewing players in the locker rooms. AWSM seeks hurdles to these roadblocks with a unified voice that ultimately will help women become more effective in their careers
ANNUAL CONVENTION SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MAY 25
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. -- Cocktail reception at hotel, hosted by the Fiesta Bowl
SATURDAY, MAY 26
8:00 - 9 am Continental breakfast
9:00 - 10 am Opening meeting
10:15 - 11:30 am General Session
Sports P.I's, How to search records, find phone numbers and use the internet when a big story breaks. Valuable for reporters, editors and those in public relations fields to learn what they're up against.
12:15 - 1:45 pm Lunch with Arizona Cardinals head coach Dave McGinnis
2:00 - 3:00 pm Breakout Sessions
The next step: How to get that book or screenplay published. Meet those who have done both.
Sports reporting 101: Basics for the beginner: Keeping stats, writing on deadline. ...
Letter perfect: Hot issues in copy-editing. The debasement of the English language, hot issues in copy-editing and more.
3:15 - 4:30 p.m. General Session: The art of juggling. How to do it all, featuring ASU women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne, who coached in the NCAA Tournament just days after giving birth.
5:00 pm Bus to Rawhide Western Town, for a sundown cookout, hayride and overall good time
8:00 pm Hospitality Suite
SUNDAY, MAY 27
9:00am - 10 am. Continental breakfast, sponsored by ESPN.
9:30 to 11:30 am Job fair (For those seeking jobs entrance into the job fair is FREE).
11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch with Jennifer Allen, sponsored by Nike. As a daughter (of legendary NFL coach George Allen), writer (of two books) and hardcore sports fan, she has seen sports media from every angle. Her tales from the front.
1:30 to 2:45 p.m. General session: Athletes panel
3 to 3:45 p.m. Power of the Purse: Hyundai's award winning, unbiased workshop that will teach you everything you need to know about buying a car. It's fun, fast paced, and just about guarantees you will become a dealership's worst nightmare: the dreaded informed shopper.
4 to 5 p.m. Breakouts
1) Design at Nine: Hot trends, topics in layout and design
2) Sports business coverage: Doing it right
3) Who's the boss: Managing in a man's world
5:30 p.m. Bus to Bank One Ballpark for tour and business meeting, including voting, followed by dinner and a night out in Scottsdale.
10 p.m. Hospitality suite
MONDAY, MAY 28
8:30 to 9:30 am. Continental breakfast
Morning open for organized golf, tennis or hiking
12:15 to 1:45 pm. Pioneer Award luncheon, with a special introduction by Arizona State basketball coach Rob Evans, a pioneer in his own right
2 to 3 p.m. Olympic update. Feature USOC Chairman Sandy Baldwin and several Olympians
3:15 to 4:15 pm Breakouts
1) TV sports journalism: Walking the fine line
2) P.R. 2001: What has changed in sports public relations. Responding to the demands of growing media outlets and techniques to handling "off-the-field" issues.
3) Sports careers - Working for the internet. What's out there. How stables are the jobs.
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. General session: Ethics
6:15 p.m. Keynote dinner with Phoenix Mercury coach Cynthia Cooper
8 p.m. Hospitality suite
TUESDAY, MAY 29
8 to 9 a.m. Continental breakfast
Day trip to Sedona
[To register or for more information contact Paola Boivin @pdieff@aol.com or call (602) 444-8956.]
