Somewhere in Ohio right now, a sophomore is running a personal best at a Tuesday dual meet that nobody outside her own team will ever hear about. A senior is anchoring a relay that decides a conference title. A freshman is about to have the best race of his life and not know it yet. That's the sport. Most of it happens in places nobody's writing about.
Podium Watch exists to change that, and we can't do it alone.
We're opening applications for high school intern writers, and we mean it when we say this isn't a formality. We're building the platform we wished existed when we were running: real coverage of Ohio cross country and track and field, rankings that actually track what's happening on the course and the track, and stories about the athletes and programs putting in the work. That takes more eyes and more voices than one small staff can provide, especially the kind of eyes that are actually at the meets.
If you're in grades 9 through 12 in Ohio, whether you run yourself or you just can't stop reading about the sport, we want to hear from you.
What you'd actually do
There's no single template for an intern writer at Podium Watch. Some of our applicants will want to cover their own school and conference in depth. Others will want to dig into rankings and polls, writing the kind of analysis that shows up in pieces like the Podium Report. Others will want to write features, the kind of story that explains why a runner's breakthrough season actually happened. We'll help you find your beat instead of assigning you one.
Why it's worth your time
This is unpaid, and we're upfront about that. What you get instead is real: your name on a byline that's actually published and read, an author page you can point to, editorial feedback from someone who will actually read your draft and tell you what's working, and a body of clips you can use for a college application, a journalism portfolio, or just to prove to yourself that you can do this. If you think you might want a career in sports media, this is about as close to the real thing as you'll get in high school.
Who should apply
Honestly, more people than usually assume they qualify. You don't have to be a runner. You don't need previous writing experience, a journalism class, or a portfolio already built. You need to care about the sport and be willing to learn how to write about it well. That's the bar.
How to apply
Applications are open now, with no deadline, so there's no reason to wait until you feel "ready." Head to the application page, tell us about yourself, and send us a short writing sample so we can see your voice. A parent or guardian will need to sign off, since we know most of our applicants are still in high school.
