Brooke Meenachan: Girls Run the World and Maybe Sports, Too!

Story and photo by Alana Seldon

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Brooke Meenachan is rookie as a Broadcast and Digital Journalism graduate student at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications but she is experienced in the world of sports media.

The Youngstown, Ohio native grew up in a family where sports brought them together. Meenachan (MEE-na-han) says she and her brother played just about every sport, her father played old-timers baseball and actually met her mother on the softball diamond. It was in her blood.
       

Meenachan earned her Bachelor’s Degree in 
Telecommunications with a minor in Communications from Youngstown State University.


Soon after, her journalism career took off. She was offered positions at Cleveland's CBS affiliate, ESPN Cleveland, FOX Sports Ohio and even covered the Special Olympics World Games in L.A.

Meenachan says she's dedicated to the sports industry. Her confidence stems from successful journalists she looks to for inspiration, such as Alex Flanagan, Doris Burke, Holly Rowe and Michelle Beadle – all women who she says, “aren’t afraid to have an opinion and be themselves.”

As a young woman in a male-dominated field, one thing Meenachan is not worried about is getting respect.

“I have never really had any experiences where since I’m a woman, I can’t do this or I can’t do that,” she explains. “I’ve worked with so many great guys that have helped me out… I worked at a radio station in Cleveland, I was the only girl there that was an anchor and they were always so genuine to me. They let me share my opinions and give my opinions. Even if they didn’t agree with them, they treated me like I was a guy too. So, I think women have come a long way in the sports industry, but I still think they have a long way to go.”

Despite her experience in the industry, Meenachan says she was intrigued by Newhouse's ability to push her outside of her comfort zone and expose her to sports she’s not as interested in.

Meenachan's ultimate career goal is to be a sideline reporter but she strongly disagrees with the perception that it's all women in sports media can do. 

"I don’t think that’s the only thing that women can be successful at," she said. "You just have so many girls who are in a diverse world of sports. I think there’s only room to grow there and there just going to continue to be successful."

Check out a transcription of my conversation with Brooke, below and listen to the audio version here, as well.

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Interview: Q&A with Brooke Meenachan

AS: With the multitude of experience that you have had in the broadcast field, why exactly did you choose to attend Newhouse to continue your education?

BM: Well, with all the experience I had, it was never really what I wanted to do. My dream since I was 10 years old was to be a sideline reporter, but since I graduated and during undergrad, it was always behind the scenes. It was never in front of the camera or doing something that I wanted to do. So, I came here because I think I’ll get more of an experience and hopefully, put myself out there in order to do that.

AS: As a young woman in a male-dominated field, how do you feel about women in sports?

BM: I have never really had any experiences where since I’m a woman, I can’t do this or I can’t do that.  I’ve worked with so many great guys that have helped me out, especially… I worked at a radio station in Cleveland, I was the only girl there that was an anchor and they were always so genuine to me. They let me share my opinions and give my opinions. Even if they didn’t agree with them, they treated me like I was a guy too. So, I think women have come a long way in the sports industry, but I still think they have a long way to go.

AS: So, with your experience, being treated like “one of the guys,” which for us, is something we look for in the field, what are thoughts on the idea that women in sports will only be successful as sideline reporters, with that being your ultimate dream?

BM: I don’t think that’s the only thing that women can be successful at. I mean, you look at a bunch of people right now… Doris Burke, she’s a sideline reporter, but she’s also an analyst, she announces games, she does men’s game and she’s successful in her own way. You have Michelle Beadle, Cari Champion [like you mentioned], who else? Linda Cohn, who’s an anchor for SportsCenter, Katie Nolan, who hosts her own show. You know what I mean? You just have so many girls who are in a diverse world of sports. I think there’s only room to grow there and there just going to continue to be successful.

AS: So, speaking of Doris Burke, Cari Champion and a lot of other trailblazers for women in the field, who inspires you?

BM: I think the person that inspired me most was Alex Flanagan. I’m a huge Notre Dame fan and she used to cover the games for NBC. So, I kinda looked up to her because I loved how she told a story and how she got into the facts, into the details – not just the statistics. Currently people who inspire me are Doris Burke, Holly Rowe, Michelle Beadle… they’re females in this industry who aren’t afraid to have an opinion and be themselves. But, at the same time, they know when to be serious. So, those are just a few of the names that I look to for inspiration.

AS: In some of your experiences with internships and work, radio, ESPN Cleveland as a sports anchor, FOX Sports, tell me about the experiences.

BM: Oh my gosh… I worked like crazy! So, I had like four part-time jobs at one point. I would work like 19 hour days, I would sleep for three hours and then go back to work. My experience – I loved doing it, that’s why I did it. I can’t say enough about how much fun I had working in the sports industry and meeting people and doing what I actually love to do, it’s a lot of fun. And even though the hours are crazy, if you like what you’re doing, it’s not that bad.

AS: So your dedication to sports and the broadcast industry, where did your love for sports start?

BM: I grew up in a family that just loved sports. I played softball… I basically played any sport you could ever imagine. My parents played softball – they actually met on the softball diamond. My brother played sports, my dad continued to play like old timers baseball. But, I just come from a family that, we just love sports and it brings us together. I played softball up until my sophomore year of college, before quitting to focus on my career because I knew I couldn’t go pro in softball or really, in sport. But, I still wanted to be around the game or whatever game. So, that’s how my interest sparked.

AS: So, with the different roles that you’ve maintained throughout the industry in broadcast and digital media, what skills do you think you possess that transcend any capacity?

BM: What skills? Geez… that’s a hard question! I don’t know… like I said, I’m very dedicated. I put my career first because I always want to be the best and do the best and be the best to my potential. So, I’m always that person who likes to learn and I want to continue to learn and I think that says a lot about somebody in this business.

AS: So, while at Newhouse, what are your plans?

BM: My ultimate goal, like I said, is to be a sideline reporter. But, at the same time, I want to branch out and do things that I’m uncomfortable with. I’ve talked about being a commentator – I like to write too. But, at the same time, I don’t want to focus on the sports that I’m interested in. I also want to branch out and do things that I’m not comfortable with at all like soccer and lacrosse. And at Syracuse, lacrosse is a big deal and I know nothing about it. So, I definitely want to branch out and see what I can do from there.