How to develop relationships with female athletes

Uhh, you'd be surprised ...

And there are normal, complimentary things that you (as a 20-something guy) can say to a 20-something girl you see in a store or on the street, etc., that would sound really, really creepy when you say them (as a reporter, as a professional) to an underage, female high school basketball player.

So yeah. It's a point that doesn't hurt to be brought up again. Just to be safe.

 

You know, you might want to find a better title for this thread.

 

not even on a date?

or are the kids into that stuff now? sweeet -- maybe it's time to get back into preps!

 

im flat out great looking...that usually works.

 

The key is to get them to relax. Make small talk with them. Some good openers are:

-- "Is it just me or are you starting to fill out that sports bra?"

-- "Hi, sugartits. Did you know that Jews are responsible for all of the wars?"

-- "Hypothetically speaking, would you ever do porn?"

-- "Which of your teammates is a lesbian? I mean, we all know that Emily is, but besides her."

-- "I'm not up on how everything works these days, so if you could tell me how many dates I need to go on before a girl will let me stick it in her poop chute?"

-- "Was hitting the game-winning bucket a better feeling than deep-throating a 10-inch cock?"

-- "Do kids these days really go ass-to-mouth or is that just hot air?"

 

My interview strategy with high school kids is simple -- I use humor. I don't tell dirty jokes or anything, but I'll say something funny to break the ice.

With female athletes, you generally get kids who give better quotes. The problem is, a lot of them are shy. A lot of them have never been or are rarely interviewed. So you have to get them comfortable with being interviewed. With older female athletes, they're OK to have somebody around, but if there's an awesome 14-year-old cross country runner and you interview her in front of her parents, a coach or a friend, she'll either be nervous and give you nothing or giggle uncontrollably. So I crack a joke or say something stupid to ease the tension. I'll say something like, "So I'm SCEditor from the Podunk News, I hear you hate your coach." They'll stop for a second and I'll laugh and say, "I'm just kidding." They'll typically relax.

With male athletes, you get kids who have watched Sportscenter four times that morning. They'll all tell you how they take it one game at a time and are giving it 110 percent. So I crack a joke with them. Relax them. Make them feel like they can say what they want.

Humor is the best way to deal with kids. When you're a kid and you're talking to an adult, and he's tape recording your conversation, you're going to be nervous and apprehensive. You've got to show them, in a split second, that they can chill and relax.

Another way is to compliment an athlete. I'm not saying you should tell a girl she's hot; I'm saying you mention something they did during a game. If I'm talking to a good female basketball player and she scored 30 points, I'll say something like, "I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you could have scored 60 on that girl." I'll laugh, they'll laugh and we're off. Make them feel relaxed. Do it with humor. Do it by inflating their ego a little bit. Make them feel like you're a nice person, instead of the guy writing the story.

It also helps that I'm only 24. I'm not too far removed from where their age, so maybe they feel more comfortable talking to a young person. Whatever you do, don't stick the recorder right in their face. I always hold mine under a notebook or clipboard. You stick a recorder in front of a shy kid's face, and they're going to have the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look the entire time.

 

Or you can try it Pope's way. Then we'll talk about your old position on the Jobs Board.

 

That was amazing.

 

I'm covering a H.S. District playoff girls' soccer game, and I'm standing on the sideline. A few minutes later, a junior midfielder scores a hell of a goal (volleyed it to herself, cracked it in midair...disgusting) and comes sauntering over to the bench, where she proceeds to tell her teammates...

"Man, that was better than an orgasm!"

*I'm never, ever, having kids.*

 

If the girl starts talking in cliches, break the ice by making the "shocker" sign with your hand and winking a few times.

 

Then I probably should never leave the house.

 

That reminds me of a girls soccer tilt I covered years ago. A playoff game, if I recall correctly.

Girl who scored the winning goal did so with a beautiful redirection past the keeper. She redirected the ball with her breast. She was hilarious afterward. Half proud, half in disbelief. Great interview..

And I didn't follow PEteacher's advice  : of flirting.