High School Sports Reporter (Wilmington DE Guild)

Gannett; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK in Wilmington seeks a High School Sports Reporter to lead coverage of local teams and athletes, delivering frequent field video, authoritative rankings, and enterprise reporting that keeps fans engaged.

You will break news, produce on-camera interviews and features, and build a diverse network of sources while collaborating with editors and photographers to grow readership and subscriptions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least two years of journalism experience, with reporting and writing ability.
• Strong news judgment and ethical standards.
• Clear, engaging writing, able to deliver under tight deadlines.
• Video production skills: shooting and editing, on-camera presence.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to balance breaking news and assignments.
• Experience building digital audiences using metrics and responsible AI tools.
• Collaborative and able to work independently.

Responsibilities

• Partner with existing high school reporter to own the beat and know local teams, athletes, coaches, and governing bodies.
• Shoot and edit vertical video, conduct interviews, and persona on camera for high school sports coverage.
• Break news with urgency and accuracy, including off-field developments and policy changes.
• Publish authoritative rankings and lists of teams, players, games, and performances with analysis.
• Build and maintain a diverse network of sources and identify distinctive stories.
• Use newsletters, social platforms, and audience data to strengthen engagement and subscribers.
• Work independently on deadlines and coordinate coverage with editors and photographers.
• Pitch enterprise and accountability stories examining trends and institutions in high school sports.

Skills

News judgment

Strong writing

Video production

Collaboration

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Inform readers, celebrate achievement and demand accountability.

We are seeking a High School Sports Reporter to help lead our coverage of local teams and athletes while becoming a prominent on-camera voice. The reporter will produce frequent field video and authoritative rankings of teams, players, games and performances that keep fans returning throughout the season. The role also includes breaking news, major events and distinctive enterprise reporting.

Video and high-interest rankings are central to the job. The reporter will create mobile-first updates, interviews, analysis and personality-driven features, along with recurring lists of top teams, players, games and performances. Other coverage will include daily stories, investigations, explainers, profiles, newsletters and service journalism—all designed to build readership and subscriptions.

What you’ll do:

• Partner with our current high school reporter to own the high school sports beat by developing deep knowledge of local teams, athletes, coaches, athletic directors and governing organizations.
• Shoot and edit vertical video, conduct interviews and become a recognizable on-camera personality who can host and analyze high school sports coverage.
• Break news with urgency and accuracy, including off-field developments, policy changes and other issues affecting student-athletes and school communities.
• Publish a regular cadence of authoritative rankings and compelling lists of teams, players, games, matchups and standout performances, backed by clear reporting and analysis. Add timely previews, profiles, trend and investigative stories, reader polls and postseason honors.
• Build and maintain a diverse network of sources and consistently identify distinctive stories that competitors do not have.
• Use newsletters, social platforms, audience data, reader feedback and verified real-time reporting to strengthen engagement, reach new readers and convert loyal audiences into subscribers.
• Work independently on deadline and collaborate closely with editors, photographers and other journalists to set priorities and coordinate coverage.
• Pitch ambitious enterprise and accountability stories that examine trends, decisions and institutions influencing high school sports.

What you’ll need:

• A bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least two years of journalism experience, with demonstrated reporting and writing ability; sports reporting experience is preferred.
• Strong news judgment, high ethical standards and a proven ability to source, report and break news.
• Clear, engaging writing and the ability to deliver accurate work on tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated video production skills, including shooting and editing, plus the confidence and presence to appear regularly on camera and build a credible, engaging connection with viewers.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to balance breaking news, daily assignments and longer-term projects.
• Experience building and engaging digital audiences, using metrics, emerging tools and responsible applications of artificial intelligence to improve reporting, presentation and reach.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, along with the initiative to work independently.
• A commitment to inclusive sourcing and coverage that reflects the breadth of the communities we serve.

Work requirements:

This position requires regular night and weekend work based on the sports calendar, as well as travel to games, practices, interviews and other assignments. Reliable transportation is required. The reporter must be comfortable working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and adjusting coverage plans as news develops.