Following in her parents’ footsteps Taylor Rooks graduated from the University of Illinois majoring in broadcast journalism. Rooks covered and broke national football and basketball recruiting stories. At only 19, she appeared on CBS Sports Network reporting on Women’s Basketball preseason Championship. Just two months out of college, Rooks became an on-air host, reporter, and correspondent for the Big Ten Network. In August 2016, Rooks became the newest host, reporter, and anchor for SportsNet New York and the sideline reporter for CBS Sports Network for the 2016-2017 college football season.
The growth of women in sports journalism is stagnant. Having more women break out in sports journalism like Taylor Rooks has shown that it is possible. She demonstrates to many young girls that sports broadcasting is a field they can not only work in but also excel. She also has her own podcast, “Time out with Taylor Rooks” where she discusses the biggest issues in sports with the most prominent names in sports and entertainment. Keep reading get answers about her time at Illinois, working at BTN and more!
How did if feel following in your parent’s footsteps attending University of Illinois?
It was cool! I always loved the idea of being part of a legacy. Both of my parents being there, it kind of made me feel at home. I had friends in the area, friends at Illinois, professors that were friends and coaches that knew or coached my dad. It gave Champaign a homie feel at times. I knew my parents lived in the dorms, walked the quad and all that good stuff! Being in the Big Ten was huge for me because I love everything it represents.
What is your favorite sport to report on?
Probably football but definitely college football. It’s very fun. My least favorite has to be baseball.
How did it feel leaving BTN?
It was bittersweet, because it was my first job out of school. I was so incredibly thankful to the executive producer and the president there for giving me the opportunity. To take a chance on somebody that is 22, and have their first job be on a major network, on a live television show, it is something that I will always be indebted to them for because that was a big deal; that was a huge deal for me. I love the conference, I love covering college sports, I love the coaches, the players. The stories that are in college sports are unmatched, which played a big part in my decision to leave. I’m going to miss college sports, that’s what I love. I was in Chicago, I love Chicago and it’s comfortable. It was a place with people I enjoyed, content I enjoyed, sports I enjoyed and stories I enjoyed telling, but I didn’t want being comfortable being the reason I decided not to take a leap. I don’t think feeling safe is a reason you decide not to do something. New York provided me more control over my job. For me to host, anchor and to do all those things I wasn’t consistently doing at BTN. A good friend of mine actually said, when I was trying to figure out what job to take, he said “taking ego and money aside, which one do you think will make you better” and for me that answer was New York. The opportunities that would be presented for me, and because it was New York. It was really hard and like I said, “I’m still thankful to everyone at BTN,” but it was just the right decision for my growth. I had to choose which place would make me better in two years and I know it’s SNY just from the time I’ve been here now.
Can you tell me a little bit about working for SportsNet NY and CBS Sports Network?
SNY (SportsNet NY) is really nice! I have a really big hybrid role. I’ll anchor some nights, some days I’ll host, other days I’ll report and I’m also able to do the sideline for UConn Men’s Basketball. I’m able to dabble in a lot of things, which I think is really important because the only way to get better at certain facets of the business is to try them all; to do as much as you can to get those reps, gain the experience, learn what’s right or wrong and make your mistakes. A typical day of doing the show is I’ll go in at night, if it’s the night show it comes on at 10:30 p.m. or midnight. It recaps the day and re-airs throughout the morning. If I have the day show that’s at 5 a.m., and it’s more of a magazine type show. It’s called Daily News Live. If I’m reporting, I’ll go to the Jets, Giants, Knicks or Nets practices or games and I’ll bring that news which will be packaged for one of the shows. I also have my podcast, which its content I create. I get my guest, interview them and if it makes news or whatever it may be in that fold hold or New York news and it will be on the show. This past season, I did sideline with CBS Sport Network on college football. I traveled every week to the game, flew back, and did the show.
What made you start your podcast Timeout with Taylor Rooks ?
It started the summer before I got the job. Technically, the summer I got the job but before I accepted. I wanted something that would be mine. Somewhere I could work on my interviewing skills, talk about stories that really matter and have guests come on and give their point of view on things. I wanted a place where conversations with athletes seemed normal, easy and free flowing; somewhere I could have complete control over. I think sometimes as journalists you run into the issue of wanting a place where you can find your voice, and where you can figure out the right place for it. I think right now that’s what the podcast does for me. Hopefully it expands and I can do more with it, but right now it’s just me really trying to get better at interviewing people, interacting with people, storytelling, getting news and all that good stuff. It has been really cool to allow people to have a space where they can discuss what they want, in a place that isn’t necessarily meant to attack them. It’s a forum to interact with them and have conversations. It’s been really fun to do!
Check out part two talking with Taylor Rooks
Links to Taylor Rooks Social Media and Podcast
curated by kay mckenzie 
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