OTH Exclusive Interview with PUCKerUp Sports

Interview

JR: Hello Nikki, Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about PUCKerUp.
NG: Hi Jeremy, Thank you so much for reaching out to me.

JR: When did you first get the idea to start PUCKerUp?
NG: I grew up in a family where I was never treated differently for loving sports. I always felt like “one of the guys” and had no idea how poorly women in the field were treated until I started studying Sports Management at university. The idea really hit me after moving back to the east coast from a few years in Chicago, working for a major sports organization. I was tired of being treated differently just because of my gender and I realized that there was a need for a space in not just hockey, but all sports, where women could be themselves and help promote the idea that Women do in fact, belong.

JR: How would you describe PUCKerUp to those who might not have heard of the site yet?
NG: PUCKerUp is a 100% women run hockey publication that not only gives young girls a chance to publish their work and grow the sport, but provides a space for ALL to learn about hockey from strong, educated women. We cover 5 NHL and AHL teams and the main goal is to cover the entirety of the league. We truly are a family and it’s really beautiful to have a network of girls that lift each other up and help one another with their career goals.

JR: How exciting is it to see so many women getting involved with reporting not just in hockey, but all sports?
NG: It’s incredible. We are starting to reach a time where there are women in all aspects of sport, whether it be playing, broadcasting, working in the front office, etc etc. There are so many strong women for young kids to look up to, which I think is so important. When I was 5 I didn’t have as many strong, female role models. Now there are thousands. The coolest part for me is there are so many kick ass women that young boys look up to as well. We are far from where I think we need to be, but getting closer every day.

JR: Do you still do a lot of advertising or recruiting for the site, or are women starting to come to you and asking to join?
NG: It’s 50/50. The advertising that we do is mostly for our content and to get new readers. We have a team of 30 women that are writing; designing, taking photos or just working with PUCKerUp is some manner, so we don’t reach out to many people at the moment to recruit. We do get quite a large amount of girls asking how they can be apart of the movement, and that’s still so jaw dropping to me. I love that women want to be apart of this dream I started.

JR: I follow PUCKerUp Toronto on Twitter. Would you say that Twitter has really help PUCKerUp to grow?
NG: PUCKerUp wouldn’t exist without twitter. I have been involved in “hockey twitter” for years, and loved having an outlet to share my overly opinionated takes. Once I started sharing my writing with the platform and received such a positive response, I realized how influential the site could be for the message we’re trying to spread. Across all PUCKerUp chapters we receive a million + impressions monthly from twitter alone. One thing that we bring to the table that I think differs from some other publications is our interaction with readers, which comes in many forms but specially live tweeting, polls and giveaways. It makes it really fun and hands on.

JR: Is there a specific region or city where you would like to see PUCKerUp get more involved?
NG: We would like to bring coverage to every city in the US and Canada. We have an expansion being planned for the spring but that’s top secret! 😉
JR: That is exciting news. I will make sure to watch for that.

JR: What would you say is your five year plan for PUCKerUp?
NG: I have many goals for PUCKerUp but first and foremost I’d really just like to continue in spreading the message that Women Belong In Sports and that hockey is for everyone. I think it’s so important that people realize that struggles that women face when trying to make a name for themselves in the sports industry because that’s the only way things are going to change.

I’d also love for the company to expand to every NHL team, bringing our coverage and message to cities all over the world. Another large goal that we gave is to become a more marketable and profitable platform so that I am able to fund more events for young women wanting to get involved in sports in any facet. The goal for PUCKerUp has always been to grow into more of a company than just an online media platform.

JR: Would you like to offer any advice for women looking to get into sports reporting?
NG: Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. Don’t get discouraged, or feel uncomfortable when you walk into an office or classroom full of men. You are worthy. You are talented. You are strong. And all of the hard work is worth it for that first time you sit in the press box, or step onto the ice. Work hard so that the next generation of women doesn’t have to feel as uncomfortable as we do.
JR: That is fantastic advice.

JR: Well Nikki, that concludes our interview for today. Thank you again for taking the time to spread the word on what you and your team at PUCKerUp are doing.
NG: Thank you, my pleasure.

Final Thoughts

For someone such as myself who has a young daughter, I want her to know and understand that sports is not just for the boys. I want her to feel like she belongs and to know that she is not alone. What Nikki and her team are doing with PUCKerUp Sports is amazing. I look forward to their upcoming expansion and I am excited for the future of women in sports reporting.

If you are interested in checking out PUCKerUp Sports you can do so here – https://puckerupsports.com/ You can also follow them on Twitter @PuckerUpSports , @PUCKerUpToronto , @PUCKerUpTampa & @PUCKerUpBruins

Be sure to follow me @Jermz13 and @Hockey_OTH on Twitter

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