Cierra Clark has a dilemma. She is a University of Florida alumnus whose first TV sports job was in Gainesville, FL. Now, though, she is covering one of the Gators’ SEC rivals – the Arkansas Razorbacks. Clark has joined TVH 11 in Fayetteville as a sports reporter/anchor.
She admits her allegiances will be challenged when the Gators and Razorbacks meet.
“That’s a hard one,” she grins. “Luckily in football, they won’t play each other for a while in the regular season. But I’ll stay neutral on whatever day they do match up in whatever sport it is!”
Leaving Florida
Clark most recently worked at WCJB TV 20 in Gainesville. She has been an STAA member since 2018 and found the TVH 11 opportunity in an STAA Job Leads email.
“I get to cover the SEC in addition to other colleges and high schools. I’ve lived in Florida for most of my life so it’s going to be fun to leave the Sunshine State,” she enthuses.
Persistent approach
Following up her application was a key to Clark landing the job. “I was persistent,” she recalls. “I made sure to reach out to the news and sports director pretty much weekly. I expressed my passion for covering sports and I even shared story ideas I had.”
The elimination of sports departments due to COVID has been one challenge Clark has faced in the sportscasting job market. “Jobs have been cut and that makes the competition even harder. However, you just have to keep pushing through and make CONNECTIONS,” she implores.
“STAA has allowed me to connect with other people in the industry and has provided me with insight with the emails Jon [Chelesnik] sends out. He also gives very good advice when I ask questions.”
One question Clark has already answered regards whom to support when the Gators and Razorbacks meet. She’ll play it down the middle.