We have dozens of women covering pro and college sports for our team brands here at SB Nation. Meet one of those talented writers, Michelle Berthiaume, who writes for our Red Sox blog, Over the Monster.
Meet Michelle Berthiaume from Over the Monster
Michelle fell in love with the Red Sox when she was a kid.
Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Why are you so passionate about baseball and the Red Sox?
I fell in love with baseball at a pretty young age. My dad has always been a huge Boston sports fan, so I was exposed to it a lot growing up. Once I was old enough to understand what the Red Sox meant to the city of Boston, I was immediately enamored by the Sox and the sport itself. My first trip to Fenway Park was when I really started to feel the way I do now about baseball though.
What has been your best experience at Over the Monster?
My favorite experience about working with Over The Monster so far has definitely been interacting with the fans. The comment section can be a little rough sometimes. :) But it’s cool to see everyone’s passion shine through. That’s something I can relate to and understand.
What are some of the unique challenges you’ve faced?
I think just in general there’s sometimes a lack of trust with female sportswriters, which is certainly frustrating, but it’s been like that for a long time. That’s a unique challenge to me because I don’t see many differences between the way I write and the way my male colleagues write, yet you’ll get the occasional reader who doesn’t see things that way. I’m no longer a full-time journalist, but I remember at my very first newspaper job, I was told that they believed I was the first female sports reporter they’d ever had. That was such a strange thought to me because I had never even considered that pursuing a degree in sports journalism was abnormal. It was just what I wanted to do, so I did it.
How did you get started with Over the Monster?
I reached out to Matt Collins, who runs Over The Monster, and told him I was interested in writing before this season got started. We exchanged a few messages back and forth and eventually figured something out that works for both of us. He’s great to work with and makes it fun!
Which women in the industry do you look up to?
Doris Burke is one of the female sports personalities who I really look up to. She’s done a great job in a role that is typically dominated by men and it’s fun to listen to her during big NBA games. I also love Kayce Smith, currently working with Barstool Sports. She’s another talented female sports personality who shines in a company that was originally created mostly to appeal to men.
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