Kimberley Martin (XV): More Than Good Enough

For Kimberley Martin (XV), success is a moving target. She is a pioneer in sports media: as one of the few female reporters — sometimes, the only one — in post-game locker rooms, as the first Black female sports columnist in a national newspaper’s 100-year history, and as the first Black female NFL beat writer at a national news organization. Ever adaptable, curious, and resourceful, Kimberley started a new role this year as an NFL reporter for ESPN just as the nation began to shut down from the COVID-19 pandemic. The decisions she has made about her career may sometimes seem abrupt, but Kimberley trusts herself and has faith in her own abilities. “I seek advice from others,” she shared about her career pivots, “but sometimes people project their own fears onto you when giving advice. So I listen to myself and do what makes sense for me.”

Kimberley’s drive to become the best version of herself was reinforced by Prep’s Preparatory Component. When she began at Prep, like many students, she was used to being at the top of her class in public school, but her Prep grades were not what she expected. To this day, she still remembers the D she got in Latin, but she never gave up. “I remember asking myself, why am I struggling so much?” laughed Kimberley, “but I know that Prep did set me on the path to success.” The program became a foundation for learning to overcome struggles and continue to define herself on her own terms. 

When Kimberley was in the Prep for Prep program, leadership development offerings were less expansive. Initiatives like the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Sotheby’s Art Academy, and Public Policy Internships Project did not yet exist. She recalls that in middle school and high school, seeing creative roles was rare: “We never saw an alum who was an editor or TV network executive.” Instead, there was well-intentioned advice from her peers and family to study economics, computer science, or finance which are all noble pursuits, but Kimberley stood firm in what she wanted to do. After graduating from Wesleyan, she earned a master’s degree in magazine, newspaper, and online journalism from Syracuse University. “The reason I am where I am now is because I don’t listen to anyone,” she joked. The same self-awareness and determination that guided her throughout her Prep journey continues to push her forward today. Now, she’s interviewing and producing stories on some of the biggest names in the NFL, and we couldn’t be more proud. 

With nearly two decades of experience in her field, Kimberley continues to challenge herself. “This path is unique,” she shared, “and it takes a lot of stones to create it.” She started covering college sports while at Syracuse, and launched her career with sports coverage for a local New Jersey paper. She quickly transitioned from writing about high school sports to full-time coverage of professional baseball, basketball, and football teams in New York and New Jersey. A longer tenure at Newsday helped her develop her storytelling talents as the beat writer for the New York Jets. Beyond game statistics, injuries, and roster changes, Kimberley is known for her deep dives into the lives of the players and staff, and telling the full stories that inform each person’s decision making on and off the field. The National Association of Black Journalists named Kimberley their Emerging Journalist of the Year in 2011, and she has continued to win several awards and accolades since then.

Looking back, terms like “best” or “successful” can be subjective when pursuing a unique career path. When The Washington Post approached Kimberley for a role as beat writer, she was ecstatic. Securing a position at the esteemed national news organization was the end goal for many in her field, and the role affirmed to her that she was more than good enough. During that time, she realized that she will continue to be excellent at evolving her craft, regardless of where she was practicing it. When Kimberley was later offered a role at Yahoo Sports, what others may view as a step back, she saw as an opportunity to pivot to other components of broadcast journalism. While she continued writing, she also began to work in front of the camera as a commentator and as a co-host of an all-female weekly NFL show and pregame Super Bowl show. She also ventured into podcasts and radio roles. Kimberley broadened her experience from covering a single football team to all the teams in a professional league. Her willingness and ability to seize opportunities led to her current role as an NFL reporter at ESPN, right when COVID-19 began to reach its height in New York City. 

Journalists in her field have all encountered new challenges this year in their respective sports leagues. Kimberley is unfazed by energetic crowds of 80,000 fans, locker room celebrations, and packed press conferences. Yet today, those same stadiums may be so quiet that she can hear a pin drop. Enhanced safety protocols for flying, COVID-19 testing, and social distancing have added layers to an already tight schedule for her weekly coverage of NFL games. Yet she still finds time to dive deeply into the stories she cares about. One night you may see Kimberley reporting on ESPN pregame shows; the next day you might read her article in The Undefeated on double standards in head coach hiring practices.

Often, Kimberley is the only person who looks like herself in the room, and she knows that her background brings a unique perspective to her storytelling. It also challenges how others respond to her professionally. “I am a Black person and a Black woman, and a journalist, a sports writer, and a daughter of immigrants,” said Kimberley. “All of that package is me. It is a privilege for others to be able to say, just focus on the game.” Sports and politics, in particular, have never been separate issues. “Sports is a fertile ground. Athletes and staff talk about their upbringings, what’s happening in their communities,” she shared. “These are organic discussions.” She recalled that when athletes first began to take a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, they were ostracized by the league and some lost their jobs. Four years later, entire teams, their owners, and the franchises are publicly showing support for Black Lives Matter. While public support is a welcome and necessary change, doing the right thing institutionally is not easy. “Resistance and protest,” she said, “are not done just because it’s convenient.” Wherever her career may take her next, Kimberley will continue to use her platform not only to highlight individual athletes’ journeys, but also to shed light on the work the NFL still has to do to truly level its playing fields.