Alanna Rizzo battles the sports arena

Reporter and CU alum Alanna Rizzo handles playing with the big boys in a world dominated by men. Find out how she raises the stakes to keep herself in the game.

CU alum Alanna Rizzo graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in international business, but she dreamed of being a sports journalist. After working in business and marketing for five years she went back to school to pursue her dream.

Upon graduation, Rizzo began her job search. She found a job in Wichita Falls, Texas, making $15,000 per year. Nine months later, she made the move to a bigger television market in Madison, Wisconsin. But her ultimate goal was to return to her home in Colorado.

While she was home watching a Rockies game, she got her big break. She sent her resume to FSN and heard back within a week. She began working for FSN and the Colorado Rockies during the 21st out of the 22 games they won to go to the World Series. "It was crazy," she said.

"I think it’s a privilage to be able to cover the teams that you were A a part of, and B grew up watching. And to be able to do it in a city I live in and love, where my family is, there is just nothing in the world I’d rather be doing," she said. But it's not always fun and games at the ball park.

Rizzo describes the grind of covering baseball almost every day for seven months. "It's very difficult because I’m on the road with the team. It’s a lot of fun and it’s a great job, but its very taxing… So it's anywhere from four and a half hours prior to the game, up until 45 minutes to an hour after the game. So what you see on TV is just the fun part," she said.

But more than just the daily grind, she describes the pressure that women face in a field dominated by males. Rizzo has to work harder and hold herself to a higher standard in order to gain and maintain the respect of her colleagues.

"You have to be prepared. You have to do your homework. You have to make sure especially as a woman that you know what you're talking about and are asking intelligent questions. You have to know the game," said Rizzo

She hasn't faced discrimination as a woman in a traditionally male role, but she does say that she has to watch her step.

"You're held to a much higher standard, there are a lot of people who are willing and ready to crucify women in this business."

But she wouldn't trade her job for anything in the world, and she gives others the same advice she used.

"Follow your passion, whatever it is that you enjoy doing as a hobby, that's what you should be doing for work, because your job rarely feels like work. I mean honestly... I get to cover baseball for a living. That's pretty cool," Rizzo said