Life & Work with Kate Pettersen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Pettersen. 

Kate, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Toronto, Canada., in a household that was very involved in sports. I participated in every activity under the sun and spent a lot of time at work with my dad who was a former professional football player and broadcaster. I would tag along for games, spend warm-ups on the sidelines with him and watch the game from the press box. It was “our thing” and it ignited my passion for sports. In 2008, my dad died of a sudden heart attack. That was the turning point for me that propelled me toward a career in broadcast, an opportunity to follow in his legendary footsteps. 

After working as a volunteer camera operator and reporter for our local news station, I had the opportunity to go to the Vancouver Olympics as an intern. What started as an experience behind the scenes quickly turned into my first real “break” in the industry. Just days before the Olympics began, the executives came up with a segment called “Kate the Intern” and sent me all over the city to provide live updates throughout their Olympic programming. In one segment, I actually had to wait in line for seven hours to ride the free zip line through downtown Vancouver. To some, seven hours seemed extreme. To me, seven hours meant more hits, more time on-air, more exposure, and more opportunity. It was a blast! 

From there I worked all over the country, getting my start as a morning news reporter in Regina, Saskatchewan. I knew I wanted to work in sports so, after 14 months out west, I decided to take a production role at Sportsnet in Toronto. It gave me scriptwriting experience and taught me the “ins and outs” of a live broadcast. While stepping back behind the camera seemed like it was the wrong direction, I learned invaluable lessons and my time in production has made me even stronger in front of the camera. I went on to be a Senior Writer covering freestyle skiing and snowboarding with CBC for the Sochi Olympics, worked for TSN as a Canadian Football League sideline reporter, and Toronto Argonauts digital host for four years. 

In 2017, I took some time away from work and moved home to live with and care for my mom. Shortly after my dad died suddenly, my mom was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. She was given two months to live. My mom was a fighter and a downright incredible woman who battled hard, participating in every single clinical trial she could, to beat the odds. She lived for eight and a half years and blew the doors off the two-month prognosis doctors had given her. In that time, she lived by her motto “choose to make every day a 10/10” and tried to live three days for everyone she had left, knowing her days were number. Before my 30th birthday (and my sister’s 26th), we had lost both of our parents. While we always knew the end was coming, nothing can prepare you. I jumped right back into work and went full steam ahead, determined to make both my parents proud even though they would never physically be with me. 

In October of 2019, I landed dream job as a reporter for the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League. I packed up my life and moved from Toronto to Edmonton. I jumped into action mid-season and was living the dream. Only days after returning from an incredible road trip to Nashville, Dallas, and Chicago with the team, the world shut down. It was the beginning of the pandemic, one that would take a significant toll on my career with major restrictions in Canada. After only five months, I packed up my life once again and moved back to Toronto. I stayed on with the Oilers (with a significantly reduced salary and role) until the end of July 2020 when they finally cut most of their staff. I stayed afloat after this by leaning on my diverse skill set- the ability to not only host content but to write, create, manage social media accounts, etc. 

In July of 2021, I visited some Canadian friends in Nashville and came home more determined than ever to make the move. I fell in love with the city when I first visited seven years ago but getting a US visa can be both expensive and difficult and the timing hadn’t been right. I believe there is always a silver lining and for me, this was it. COVID is the reason I finally ended up in Nashville. I sat in Toronto with absolutely nothing to lose, worked like crazy with a lawyer to get my visa, packed up my life, and made the move. Now, I wake up every day in a city I love. I’ve been able to network like crazy in the short six months that I’ve been here and slowly but surely, doors keep opening. I just wrapped up a season hosting Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball and from there was given the opportunity to be a digital and in-game host for Vanderbilt Baseball. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth. The broadcast industry, especially sports broadcasting, is an incredibly competitive field. There are a very limited number of jobs, hiring managers can be looking for a specific “look,” no matter the skillset, timing is everything and despite the fact that it’s an industry built on a foundation of communication, it is often very difficult to get candid feedback. 

I made some decisions- to accept a job, pass on a job, move to a different city, etc., that might have been the wrong ones in the moment but I try my best to keep looking forward and not dwell on it. I am where I am today because I’ve hustled, not given up, and worked hard to diversify my skillset to keep doors open despite hitting some major bumps in the road along the way. 

The other obstacle I face on a daily basis is navigating my career path without the support of my parents- the ones that helped me find my passion for sports and the reason I am the woman I am today. 

I wrote this article shortly after my mom died and to this day, it’s my proudest piece of writing-https://www.chatelaine.com/living/caring-for-my-dying-mother/?fbclid=IwAR0qrOjgO0uScXIygF5oR0xGL2JCNs_uEGXShimCc6CXDWYySat_xv3ChsQ 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a sports host, reporter, and producer. I’ve had the opportunity to work on the broadcast for two Olympic Games (Vancouver and Sochi), three national Grey Cup (CFL) broadcasts, and countless other sports and entertainment events including most recently, a Stadium Series entertainment showcase for the National Hockey League (NHL) in Nashville. 

I am most proud of my determination- I have had so many moments throughout these past 12 years in the industry where it would’ve been very easy to give up. Very easy to take a marketing or event planning job that would be great for my skill set, earn a solid paycheque, and relax into a space of job security… But, that’s not my passion. There is not a single Saturday night where I’m sitting at a stadium or a rink wishing I was out with friends or somewhere else. When I’m there, I’m caught up in the moment and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I’m living my dream in those moments and that feeling is what keeps me motivated and coming back for more. 

My dad always said “passion drives performance” and those are words I live by. 

I think that drive and resilience set me apart. I can’t count the number of “no’s” I’ve received or times I’ve been passed over for a role I know I’d be a great fit for. That’s all part of the journey. It makes the moments of success feel that much sweeter- as cliche as it might sound… 

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I am incredibly lucky to have a small group of very close friends in the industry or similar industries that I respect and admire so much. I find I spend more time chatting with them for advice, motivation, a refresh, etc. than anything else. We’re navigating life in a similar space and it is incredibly helpful to be able to learn from their experiences, compare them to my own, and also to just think out loud with them. Call me old school but I’m more likely to pick up the phone and call a friend than I am to put on a podcast. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katepettersen.com
• Instagram: katepettersen_
• Twitter: katepettersen_

Image Credits
Cara Grimshaw
Lance Wilson
Greg Kolz