If you follow the Colorado Avalanche on social media, you have seen the amazing arrival photos and content that are posted on every game day. While fans of the team revel in seeing pictures of their favorite hockey players before puck drop, whether that be when they get to the arena or during warmups, the woman behind the camera is responsible for creating the magic.
Makena Megson is a Digital Media Intern for the Colorado Avalanche and is behind some of the incredible content the team puts out on a regular basis.
Megson is no stranger to the sport of hockey. Since she was little, she has attended Colorado Eagles games with her family as the team played in the town she grew up in. Then an East Coast Hockey League team, now an American Hockey League team, the Eagles were the team that sparked Megson’s love for hockey and eventually, her interest in working in sports.
“I fell in love with going to these games and it was often my favorite outing that we went to. I fell in love with the environment and the excitement of hockey,” Megson said.
But what’s most fascinating about Megson’s journey to working in sports is that she didn’t take a “traditional” path. After two years in college, she decided to take a gap year because she wasn’t sure what career path to go down. During this time, she discovered that the Eagles offered social media internships and she jumped at the opportunity to apply. She was offered the internship, which was very special as it was with her favorite childhood team, and immediately fell in love with the position from the first game she worked.
The rest is history.
Along the way, Megson started posting her sports journey on social media. She always had a love for editing and creating as she had done it consistently since she was younger and through both high school and college. But it wasn’t until she really got into sports photography during her internship with the Eagles that she decided to start posting her sports journey online. She wanted an outlet to showcase her work and knew that using social media would give her the advantage she was looking for.
“The coolest thing that has resulted because of posting is people coming up to me at games and saying, ‘Hey I love your TikToks!’ or people commenting that they see me working at games. It means a lot to have people appreciate my work and know that there is an audience that likes to see my little life and journey!”
Posting on social media has also allowed Megson to meet and connect with other sports creatives, which has been both wonderful and beneficial, while also creating her own “online portfolio” that any future employers or fellow creatives can easily access to see her work.
Throughout her time working in sports, Megson has taught herself photography which has been a huge asset in her sports journey especially because it’s her primary role in her current internship with the Avalanche. Having knowledge of video editing, whether it be for TikTok or other apps, has also helped her as well. She notes that knowing various skills and being well rounded has been the biggest asset this far in her journey.
While her work is loved by fans all across the country and beyond, Megson takes extreme pride in the content she creates for the Avs on every game day. When asked if she was proud of a specific project or piece of work she’s completed in her current position, Megson said, “Honestly, it’s seeing my photos on the social media accounts everyday. Being able to provide fans with photos of their favorite players and communicate stories and emotions through still images has been a privilege. Seeing them on the social media accounts every game is something I’ll never take for granted!”
But when it comes to picking her favorite part of working in sports, Megson has a hard time narrowing it down. Getting her current job/internship with the Avalanche has been her favorite part though, especially because she made it to the “big leagues” within the first year of her sports journey, which has been surreal but a major achievement.
“Working my first NHL game and moving into a HUGE arena and seeing my photos be posted on the social medias for the first time was a real treat because I knew all my hard work paid off! Getting to photograph the Denver Nuggets during the Championship Parade was also up there!”
As she continues to inspire women while on her own sports journey, Megson keeps in mind how to combat the pressures and judgment that can come from being a woman in sports. She says the best thing to do is take up more room, use your voice, know that you are meant to be there and prove them wrong. Megson also points out that her co-workers inspire her everyday by being amazing people to look up to and learn from, especially because the people around you in the sports industry are so important.
Her pieces of advice to fellow women in sports? “Trust the process, obviously you have to work hard in this industry, but also trust that the right opportunities will find you,” and, “Post post post! If you want to find a way to share your content and find potential opportunities, use social media! Also, take advantage of every opportunity you get and make the best of it, sometimes it’s when you’re doing the ‘boring’ things that really show your talents and drive!”
You can follow Megson’s sports journey on Instagram: @makena.jd and on Tiktok: @makenamegson.
All photos courtesy of Makena Megson.
留言