I felt like this idea was always dangling in front of me, this goal, I was always looking past it, it was always out of focus. Along the way I flirted with being able to see it, but it never came into focus until that internship.
When it came time to consider a profession, Kevin O’Connor, ’14, who has degrees in both psychology and communication studies, wasn’t sure at first what he wanted to do.
It wasn’t until he secured an internship at Comcast SportsNet New England as a ɫƵ undergraduate that the light bulb went off. He wanted to work in sports media.
“I felt like this idea was always dangling in front of me, this goal, I was always looking past it, it was always out of focus. Along the way I flirted with being able to see it, but it never came into focus until that internship.”
As an intern, he worked two days a week helping to edit reels and create highlights of Boston professional sports teams.
While still at ɫƵ, he also started a blog that covered the Boston Celtics.
“People really liked reading my stuff and I started to think, I have something going here,” O’Connor said.
Upon graduating from Bridgewater, to make ends meet he freelanced and provided sports content for various online media websites. That’s when he came up with the idea to create an NBA draft guide. He compiled 100 scouting reports of 100 players entering the NBA draft.
“There were plenty of NFL draft guides out there and I always wondered why no one was doing it for the NBA,” O’Connor said.
His ingenuity paid off, not only did people start buying the guide, but The Ringer, a sports and pop culture website, also took notice and offered him a job. O’Connor accepted and has been working as a staff writer for the company ever since.
Today he covers the NBA for The Ringer, specifically the Celtics. Aside from writing articles, he also hosts a twice weekly podcast. It still baffles him that people tune in from across the globe.
“I think the most rewarding part of my job is the connections I get to make with so many people,” O’Connor said. “I have made friends literally around the world with people who listen to the show.”
He’s come a long way from that unsure student trying to navigate his way at Bridgewater State.
There are undoubtedly students today who can relate to O’Connor’s previous indecisiveness.
To the uncertain, the alumnus offers this advice.
“Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, every step you take isn’t going to be the biggest. Don’t stress about five years from now…invest time into yourself and develop a sense of the things you enjoy,” he said.
The sports journalist offers one more tidbit: “The life lessons you learn from sports are often clichés but are 100 percent true. Take it one play at a time, control what you can,” he said.
Do you have a ɫƵ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu