Going the extra journalist mile

Journalists work relentlessly to be the voice of society and often spend their time researching, communicating, and compiling information so that the public can be well informed of what is going on around town. The icing on the cake? Well, winning an award of course.

Journalist and news editor Natasha Pretorius, renowned for her hard news articles for the Krugersdorp News and at times other Caxton Joburg West publications, was among the many finalists to been nominated at the Women in Sports Awards held in Kagiso early this month. The awards aim to give recognition to many role players in the community who play a role in recognising women’s excellence in sports.

The sports awards are organised by the West Rand Sports Confederation (WRSC) which is an organisation formed by sports organisations at various levels throughout the West Rand. WRSC is a regional sports confederation with municipal district confederations that hold various sports events and are affiliated with various sports clubs and athletes in the region. The municipal areas catered for under the WRSC structure are the Mogale City Sports Confederation, Rand West Sports Confederation and Merafong Sports Confederation. These confederations work hand-in-hand with the local municipalities, to enhance the sport in suburban, rural and ward levels.

Natasha was among the 28 finalists to have been nominated for this year’s awards and eventually won Community Sports Journalist of the Year category.

“It is always an honour for me to receive an award like this. The fact that I was nominated for this award makes it so special because it means that what I am trying to do is recognised by others out there. Knowing that we have strong women who are paving the way and leading young girls is amazing and being counted among them is indescribable,” Natasha said.

Natasha has a lot of experience in her field with a brilliant body of work covering a wide range of topics in the media. Ironically, sports journalism was never really her first choice.

“I honestly never counted myself as a sports journalist but one of my first writing jobs was sport. The topic has always fascinated me for many reasons. One, because I enjoy learning about sports and I come from a sport-loving family and they watch all types of sports. Secondly, seeing the dedication and passion of athletes translates into something that I can apply in my own life. Especially young athletes, understanding their sacrifice and dedication for something they love is inspiring.”

Her favourite sports figures are Marizanne Capp and Nadine de Klerk. Like most people who follow sports, she has tried her hand at several sports and goes on to explain how important it is for women to be represented in sports and how sexism still very much plays a role in a sportswoman’s life.

”I was a hockey and netball player in primary school. In high school, it was just hockey. But as I grew older this became a lot less. I have however taken part in the warrior race, I have boxed for a short while, played indoor netball and joined a local gym. These days I walk with my dogs, and it clears my head. But I would like to join a female cricket team, not that I think I would be very good.”

She added that sports can be also therapeutic as many people use them to help them deal with their mental well-being.

“Sport is the place where many women go to clear their heads. This year alone I have interviewed many young women who have done exceptionally well. They told me that their sports have taught them about self-control, self-defence, discipline and more. Just like with men, sports can be so much more than kicking or catching a ball. I also think that sport is very good for mental health. Children have so much pressure on them these days and instead of reaching for the wrong things, sports can be a healthy outlet. That is why it is important to have successful female sports stars to look up to.”

It does not matter what sports event is going on around town for Natasha, sports brings joy to many people and it’s always a privilege for her to cover that story, especially for women.

“I believe that women’s sports are still undervalued. When a woman has a baby she automatically loses a year or more of hard work to get just as far as her male counterparts. We are progressing to bring female sports to the forefront and with the Netball World Cup we saw more people getting excited but women are generally paid less, trained less, and hyped less. This is sad because how do want to create world-class female athletes if we do not acknowledge the stars we currently have.”

Natasha was more than ecstatic for her award, however she still had the time to give praise to those who helped in receiving this accolade.

“I would like to thank my first-ever editor, Hennie Stander who allowed me to show I can write. My first editor at the News Janine Viljoen, allowed me to develop my own voice, and my current editor Clinton Botha guides me when I get stuck. I believe my whole Caxton Joburg West team played their part as well, as we all bounce ideas off each other and support each other.”

Natasha also has some sound advice for any female athlete who hopes to accomplish their goals in life.

“What I have learnt is that if you want it and you are willing to work hard for it, you must go for it. There will also be reasons to not do it, you must find the reasons to do it.”