General Footy Writing: I’ve decided what I want to be

ByDanielle Eid

We all grow up with a career in mind.  When you’re a five year old girl, you want to be a princess. Younger boys want to be firefighters or superheroes.

We grow up with an imaginative, “anything is possible” attitude, which dissolves by the time you hit high school.

In the early years of high school you don’t really think about your career; it’s hard enough remembering where the classrooms are and trying to forget how dorky you look in your oversized uniform.

Last year, when I was in year ten, we had to sit down and seriously consider what we wanted to do after we finished school. After completing numerous surveys, it was recommended that I would be suited to the following: Actor, Architect, Business Owner, Child Care Worker, Jeweller, Journalist, Lawyer, Manager, Musician, Physiotherapist, Social worker, Travel agent.

So I decided, “OK, I’m going to be a Lawyer!”

I then did my work experience at a law firm and saw what I didn’t want to see. The solicitor running around like a headless chicken, clients coming in and out, the phone ringing endlessly. It was crazy!

I was stuck doing boring filing, opening letters, taking out mail and typing up documents from thick books. I put that behind me. After all, the money makes it worth it! My parents were thrilled about my career objective and my grandparents began introducing me as “the Lawyer”.

I could do this, how hard could it be? I’ll tell you: it’s 90-something ENTER score hard! I then lost my passion altogether until a recent legal studies excursion to the courts in the city. I went from “no way!” to, “WOW, that’s it im going to be a BARRISTER, that outfit is so AWESOME!” Watching a court case was amazing but after a taste of Legal Studies class, I concluded that it’s all too much.

I was now at the part of my life where family would ask what I was going to do and I would reply with, “I don’t know.” Not exactly what my parents want me to say. Mum then became really worried and took it out on my teachers at the last parent- student- teacher night. Thank goodness my teachers backed me up and said that it was fine I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet. I can see why Mum is worried.

Both my older cousins in Sydney said they were going to become Doctors and they did. My other cousin who graduated last year said he was going to be an Accountant and now he is in uni doing Accounting! So all eyes are on me, being the next to graduate alongside two Doctors and an Accountant. No pressure!

Throughout the last two years I have had Journalism in the back of my mind, but was only presenting Lawyer just to make everyone else happy. But now I’m not holding back anymore, because writing is something I truly love.

So I put together the two things in my life which mean a lot to me, writing and footy. Eureka! Sports journalism.

So now I’ve decided to follow the footsteps of my role model Samantha Lane. I know it’s going to be tough. Let’s face it; Sports journalism is a male-dominated subject which is competitive and highly judged.

I just cross my fingers waiting and supporting people like Sam Lane who give me a light of hope that maybe, just maybe, I can make it that far.