Sports Field Guide

Here are several sports journalism openings across the country.

Sports Team Member – The Decatur (Ill.) Herald & Review is looking for someone to join our award-winning sports team and keep the bar high. We need a person who is versatile enough to develop sources, nail the gamers and come up with entertaining story angles. But the right person also will be as productive during regular shifts on the design desk and be a part of our website which was recently recognized by APSE. Qualified candidates interested in joining our team must submit their application online at www.herald-review.com/hrjobs. Send a copy of your resume, writing samples and page designs to Sports Editor Mike Albright, Herald & Review, 601 E. William, Decatur, IL 62525 or e-mail to malbright@herald-review.com.

Sports Copy Editor – The Decatur (Ill.) Herald & Review is looking for a talented copy editor to continue our sports section’s award-winning tradition. The ideal candidate will have a flair for page design, headline writing and copy editing. The job will involve designing and producing daily pages as well as a hand in growing website which was recognized by APSE. Qualified candidates interested in joining our team must submit their application online at www.herald-review.com/hrjobs. Send page designs and editing samples to Sports Editor Mike Albright, Herald & Review, 601 E. William, Decatur, IL 62525 or e-mail to malbright@herald-review.com.

Sports Reporter – The (Nebraska) Fremont Tribune, a small daily, is seeking a sports reporter who has page design/editing skills/interests and some photo abilities. We are a locally focused sports operation. The successful candidate will be a well organized, self-starter who is broadly versed in all areas of prep sports coverage. On the page-design side, you will use Quark Xpress and Photoshop. A degree in journalism is desirable but not mandatory. Experience could be substituted. Fremont is home to Midland University athletics and Omaha and Lincoln are within easy reach.  A reliable vehicle, insurance and a valid driver’s license are required. To learn more about our company or to apply, please log onto www.fremonttribune.com and click on ‘Services’ and then ‘Employment’ for a listing of our open positions.

Sports Editor – The Muscatine (Iowa) Journal, part of the Lee Enterprises chain, is seeking a multi-purpose sports editor who has proven leadership, reporting, design and editing skills and an eagerness to explore new avenues in the world of print and digital journalism. We place a heavy emphasis on covering local high school sports and we do it in unique, innovative ways. Our sports staff has won multiple INA and APME awards for sports coverage the past couple of years. Here’s the website for the Muscatine Journal.

Sports journalist – Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming’s leading newspaper, seeks a versatile, motivated sports journalist to complete a talented staff. Few newspapers our size offer the growth opportunities you’ll find at the Casper Star-Tribune. We have former employees covering major colleges in Illinois, North Carolina and Michigan, pro teams in Denver and another writing for ESPN.com, just to name a few. And others have moved up to managerial positions. Your beat will be to cover Division I athletics at the University of Wyoming, primarily football, basketball and wrestling, while also helping spearhead our rodeo coverage. Casper hosts the College National Finals Rodeo each June and we also cover many of Wyoming’s top professional rodeo, including Frontier Days. You will also assist with high school sports, as needed. Our statewide circulation of 26,000 makes us the most prominent media voice in the Cowboy State. Our sports section won six APSE awards in 2012, including top-10 finishes in Sunday and Daily. Our reporters received top-10 finishes in beat reporting, breaking news and feature writing. We’re looking for someone to help us build on that excellence. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree, excellent verbal skills, a willingness to improve as a writer and reporter both for online and print and strong attention to detail. A background that includes some news reporting is preferable but not required. You can see our web site at trib.com. Apply online here and forward a cover letter explaining why you’re the right person for the job, along with your resume, reference list and work samples to: Zack Creglow, Sports Editor, Casper Star-Tribune. HIs email is zack.creglow@trib.com. No phone calls please.

Sports Editor – The Reedsburg Times-Press, one of Wisconsin’s best twice-a-week newspapers, seeks a sports editor who is ready to maintain the high level of local and high school prep sports coverage the paper’s readers have come to expect. The editor will be responsible for covering area sporting events, writing sports features and taking photos. The job does not require pagination. Applicants should be organized and have the ability to work autonomously and communicate well with editors at other Capital Newspapers locations. An ability to create content for the Web and a comfort with using multimedia platforms also are a plus. For more information about all of the opportunities at Capital Newspapers and to apply online, go to www.jobs.capitalnewspapers.com. Deadline is July 21, 2012.

High School Sports Editor – USA Today seeks a High School editor  who embodies a digital-first, 24/7 approach, has a strong editing background in sports media and has had success engaging a teen audience. The successful candidate will report to the executive producer of high school sports. The position is located at USA TODAY headquarters in McLean, Va. Click here for lists of responsibilities and qualifications.

NBA Editor – USA Today Sports Media Group is seeking a NBA Editor who embodies a digital-first, 24/7 approach and has a strong editing background in sports media. The successful candidate will report to the Assistant Managing Editor of Sport Beats. The position is located at USA TODAY headquarters in McLean, Va. Cick here for lists of responsibilities and qualifications.

Sports reporter –The Times, a 3-day morning newspaper in Pryor, Okla., has an immediate need for a sports reporter. Pryor is in Oklahoma’s Green Country with access to a number of recreational opportunities. Applicants should know Quark and have good photography skills. Duties include game coverage, in-depth features, pagination of daily sports pages and special sections. We offer a complete compensation package including insurance and 401k. Send clips and resume attn. Kenneth Jones, Publisher, The Times, P.O. Box 308, Pryor, OK 74362 or email to kenjones@swbell.net.

Prep Sports Reporter – The Ames Tribune in Ames, Iowa, seeks a versatile sports writer to cover preps with a sprinkling of everything from Division I college to community sporting events. Must be knowledgeable in the typical array of high school sports, able to write clean copy for the Web and on deadline and show creativity in developing features, profiles, enterprise and alternative story format pieces. We are looking for a true journalist who embraces new media, social media and real-time reporting. Demonstrated experience with deadline, online and multimedia reporting is a must. Position demands night and weekend work. Four-year degree in journalism or equivalent experience required. We are a six-day daily with multiple Web sites and niche publications. Ames is 30 minutes north of Des Moines and home to Iowa State University. We cover nine central Iowa high schools and the Iowa State Cyclones in a competitive market. Please send a cover letter, resume, up to five clips, and references we can contact now to sports editor Bobby LaGesse at the Ames Tribune, 317 Fifth St., Ames, IA 50010 or rlagesse@amestrib.com. No phone calls, please.

Sports/News Reporter –The Palm Coast Observer is seeking a hybrid Sports/News Journalist for one of our new community weekly newspapers. The position should be filled by the middle of August. The position will include about 60% sports coverage and 40% community news. In sports, your primary focus will be prep sports at local high schools. Coverage also will include youth sports, outdoor activities, etc. In news, the position will include covering a myriad of beats — local government, education, religion and more. The Palm Coast Observer is part of The Observer Group Inc., a family-owned and operated multimedia company headquartered on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Since 1995, The Observer Group has published hyper-local weekly newspapers — long before the term was the latest trend in the journalism industry. Today, we operate five newspapers, three websites, and an arts and social magazine in multiple communities throughout Florida. Altogether, our publications reach more than 200,000 readers each week. The Ormond Beach Observer will be the newest in the family of Observer papers. Photography skills are a plus; clear and compelling writing a must. Knowledge of and familiarity with Ormond Beach and Volusia County also a definite plus. Recent grads and self-starters are encouraged to apply. Competitive salary, benefits, you know the drill. Interested applicants should email resumes and portfolios to Brian McMillan at editor@palmcoastobserver.com. Or, mail them to Palm Coast Observer, c/o Brian McMillan, Managing Editor, 1 Florida Park Drive N., Suite 103, Palm Coast, FL 32137.

Sports Reporter – The Eastern Arizona Courier is seeking an energetic sports reporter who has the drive and skills to direct coverage and write sport stories. Candidates must have innovative coverage ideas, focus on the local community, take photographs and have excellent judgment and planning skills. Must be able to do and develop in-depth enterprise, breaking news, features stories and daily stories. Looking for a leader who can run with stories and come up with original story and presentation ideas that connect with the reader and take our sports section to the next level. Send resume and clips to: aimee@eacourier.com.

Sports editor and sportswriter (two positions) – The Effingham (Ill.) Daily News, a 6-day a week newspaper in south-central Illinois, seeks to fill two positions. Successful candidates will show proficiency in writing, photography and QuarkxPress page design. Send resume, and wriiting and design samples to Publisher Steve Raymond at steve.raymond@effinghamdailynews.com.

If you have a sports job opening, email me at jgisondi@gmail.com. I will post here and/or on my Twitter feed.