Behind the Freelance Curtain – Interview with freelance sports journalist and head of news at Her Game Too, Faye Hackwell.

Faye Hackwell

Archie Tooth, second-year sports journalism student, interviewed Faye on her journey – how she broke into the industry, her cancer diagnosis, and the characteristics required to succeed as a freelance journalist.

Faye initially earned a philosophy degree at the University of Southampton. Whilst studying she was offered work experience at a news desk, although unsure, she took the leap and never looked back. Fast forward ten years, and Faye had been moulded into the journalist she’d always dreamed of being, confident and adaptable.

“Quite a few people had said to me, go and do a few years in news.

“You’ll get your grounding, and you’ll be a better journalist for it to then go into sport…now I'm mainly working in football, it’s so simple because the game plays itself out in front of you.”

After her time with the South Wales Argus and The Echo, Faye moved to the BBC in 2012, where she spent five years, expanding her pallet into radio as both a producer and reporter.

But everything soon came to a halt, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. With her future uncertain for six years, Faye overcame her battle with cancer. She decided to fully commit to working in sport, on a freelance basis, to balance her work schedule alongside her family life of raising two children.

“I think it probably made things a lot easier for me, because I dealt with so many difficult times of going into scans and not knowing whether it was going to be the worst news possible…nothing scares me now… It's made me a far more confident person.”

Faye urged the importance of work experience on her career trajectory, allowing her to break new ground in the industry and build up her contact book.

While studying, she volunteered to work at a variety of events, from the Wimbledon Championships to European rowing events with her university.

Faye’s hard work and dedication to the industry earned her opportunities to cover the Ryder Cup, Champions League football, as well as the upcoming women’s football European Championships in Switzerland later this year in July.

“I just say pursue your dreams.

“Working in journalism, there’s never been a day when I’ve thought I don’t want to go to work…it is really, really hard work…(but) if you love it, it won’t feel like work.”

Listen to Faye’s inspiring story, where she delves deeper into her career as a freelance sports journalist below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NgyoWxwbsc