We were lucky to catch up with Mara Fitzgerald recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mara, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
The two industries I work in (sports and construction) are both heavily dominated by men. In a way, I’ve been preparing my whole life to be one of the only women in the room: liking sports as a little girl made me a “tom-boy” and playing with building blocks instead of dolls was not the norm. Being the only woman in an industry built by and for men usually forces women to act in one of two ways; be “one of the guys,” or embody the famous lyric “I am woman, hear me roar.” I tend to lean towards a roaring woman rather than suppressing the power of my femininity. This approach has made me very successful so far in my career. As the only woman on my construction sites, I bring a new and refreshing perspective to the daily challenges. If I were to act like “one of the guys,” I wouldn’t be adding anything new to the conversations. As a woman, I infuse strategies that make people set aside their egos, think differently, and eventually arrive at a collaborative and successful result.
Sports are similar in the sense that “acting like one of the guys” isn’t necessarily the only/best approach: being the big, strong, and loud doesn’t always work for women the way that it works for men. Women find their power in sports, yes, by being strong, but also by being creative, crafty, and intentional. When coaching, I can’t teach my basketball players just to run fast and dunk every time they get the ball inside – I have to teach them how to read the defense and find a way to get to the hoop without just jumping over people. Being a woman is a powerful thing, no matter what type of woman you are. Being the ONLY woman is also powerful and I encourage other women in these positions to let their femininity roar.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an architectural engineer, construction manager, basketball coach, and founder of a women’s sports media platform called SHOT:CLOCK. Yes, that sounds like a lot, but I’m the type of person that pursues things I’m passionate about and works hard to make them successful. If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life, right?
My work as a construction project manager, utilizing my background in architectural engineering, is what pays the bills. My work as a basketball coach and in women’s sports media are my passion projects that bring me a lot of personal fulfillment and hopefully also add value to the sports world.
I started SHOT:CLOCK in 2019, not quite knowing what it would grow into. Now in 2023, we have almost 15,000 followers across various social media outlets. SHOT:CLOCK has given me opportunities to cover major events in women’s sports, from the WNBA All-Star game, WNBA finals, LPGA Solheim Cup, NWSL Championship, US Open, and more. I’ve also met amazing people in the women’s sports industry, from athletes to front office professionals. I hope to keep growing our platform and network to bring more visibility to the facts and figures of the women’s sports industry.
My goal is someday to marry my work in construction with my work in women’s sports by building women’s sports stadiums.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Passion, hard work, and thick skin.
Being a woman in construction and a woman in sports requires a lot out of you so if you aren’t passionate about your work, the juice won’t be worth the squeeze. Once you know you have that passion, you’ll definitely need to work hard and have thick skin. A lot of people will make it challenging for you to be successful. Sometimes their tactics are subtle to try to wear you down overtime. Sometimes they’ll just flat out tell you that you don’t belong and should go do something else. You have to persevere because I promise, they’re the ones who are going to be left behind in the world you are helping to create.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’d love to collaborate more with other women’s sports media platforms as well as individual league marketing teams. The more coverage that women’s sports get, the more the industry will grow. If I can use my platform to help educate people on major happenings in women’s sports or highlight shortcomings that still exist when it comes to media coverage or equal pay, then SHOT:CLOCK will be a success! Social media has made it so much easier to connect with people across the industry – we’re open to any/all collaborations!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shotclock-media.com/
- Instagram: @shotclock_media
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shotclock-media/
- Twitter: @shotclock_media
