Since the sixth year, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I fell in love with writing stories and diving people into words on the page. I grew up in a sports family and I trained a love for all kinds of sports at a young age.
As I get older and starting my career in high school, I knew I wanted to go to sports journalism. I wanted to report on athletes and write on games, big and small, for the rest of my life. I knew that as a woman, entering the sports journalism industry was going to be difficult, but I didn’t care. I wanted to be a sports journalist and show young girls that women can and will succeed in an industry dominated by men.
Kate Dalhausser with friends.
When I arrived at the University of Oklahoma, my mind had to become a journalist. After taking lessons on broadcasting journalism, I realized that I was a much better printed writer than a broadcast writer.
Unfortunately, by my second year, doubts began to enter my mind. The thoughts of not being able to know more about the world of sport than I do now, which I wanted to be in second position when I obtained my diploma. My love for writing has not disappeared, but I discouraged myself.
For the first half of my junior year, I spent my major communication journalism.
I quickly realized that communication was not what I wanted to do and I was the happiest as a Major of Journalism in Gaylord. I spoke to my advisor and I decided to return to journalism for the fall of 2023. To date, I do not regret my decision.
In spring 2024, I joined or daily for my internship – a “class” which is required by the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication so that students can gain practical experience in the field of journalism they want to continue.
I met the director of or Student Media and the faculty advisor to Daily, Seth Prince, to discuss which office would suit me best. The two we talked about were The News Desk and The Sports Desk. I mentioned in Seth that I grew up with a love of sport and that I wanted to be a sports journalist since I was young.
He added me to the sports office, and I was given female gymnastics beaten by my publishers at the time, Louis Raser and Gracie Rawlings. I barely knew nothing about female gymnastics and I only watched sport during the summer Olympic Games.
I was ready for the challenge but also nervous. I wanted to do a good job.
Kate Dalhausser with her family in Türkiye at YMCA of 2024.
Throughout the season, I saw my writing grow and I learned a lot about gymnastics. The doubts that I had a few years ago so as not to be able to know more have left completely. I started the season with very little knowledge of sport and I ended up with more information than I thought I could keep. It showed me that I have never finished learning, and even if I don’t know much about a sport, I will learn more over time.
At the end of the year, Seth came to me and asked me what my plan was for next year. I told him that I would finish my fifth and last year at or, and he asked me if I would like to come back every day. He told me that I did an excellent job covering female gymnastics and he and my publishers would like me to return to the sports desk.
I told him that I would love to come back and I really enjoyed my stay in where Daily this semester. My publishers and Seth encouraged me to apply to become a senior sports journalist for the year 2024-25.
After decided to apply, I interviewed the post with Gracie. She asked to cover basketball and I told her that sport has always been one of my favorites. I knew that the pace would sometimes be difficult, but I was ready to take up the challenge.
For the 2024-25 school year, I covered Oklahoma women’s basketball as a senior journalist.
Covering sport was sometimes a challenge, but it was because of these challenges that I grew up as a writer. Writing on the basketball women’s team this season made me realize that I want to continue to cover sport.
On a daily basis, I had the opportunity to expand my journalistic career and write stories that I am proud of. I have had opportunities that people only dream of, and I was able to live my childhood dream. Being in press conferences has felt so surreal, and covering the first and two of the NCAA 2024-25 female tournament in Norman is something that I will never forget.
If it was not for or daily, I would not have found my love for sports reports. The connections and the memories that I made during my time here are those that I will cherish forever.