By: Trent Leith / November 18, 2024 The Canucks, in partnership with the Athletic and Kat Botchford, have once again opened the Botchford Project up to applicants until November 29th at 12:00 PM!
“The Botchford Project awards a mentorship experience to aspiring writers each hockey season.” The Canucks said in a press release. “Each recipient receives the opportunity to work under the guidance of Vancouver’s sports media professionals, report on a Canucks game live from Rogers Arena, and publish a paid article on Canucks.com.”
Over the first five seasons, The Botchford Project has provided this valuable experience to 28 talented individuals.”
I have previously been lucky enough to be one of those 28 successful applicants. I felt so fortunate to have that opportunity, and it’s an experience I will never forget. From attending morning practice and pre-game media to a one-on-one with Nils Höglander, it was a day I will always remember.
“Jason would have been so humbled by The Botchford Project initiative,” said Kathryn Botchford, Jason Botchford’s widow. “For him, supporting young writers was critical to the future of journalism.
He was so passionate about this industry and seeing it evolve through young, emerging writers. This initiative enables a community to pay it forward by continuing what it started. My family and I are incredibly honoured and so grateful to see Jason’s legacy continue through The Botchford Project.”
The Botchford project is an experience that I hope every aspiring writer gets a chance to participate in, and I encourage everyone to apply!
In an effort to help people take the plunge, I thought I would offer up what my applications looked like. Through the years I applied more than once, so I thought the applications shown below could give people an idea of what both an accepted application looks like, and a non-accepted application.
My 2019-20 Season Application
This application is lost forever. At least as far as I know. This was the first year the Botchford Project was created. I didn’t understand the gravity of the program at the time so when I wrote my response to the the prompt “Why you should be a recipient” I didn’t pre-write it, I didn’t pick over it with a fine tooth comb, or ask anyone to look it over.
I just filled out the form, almost as if it was a contest. There was no document I worked in and then copied to the application, I just freeballed it right then and there.
I have no idea what I wrote, but I know I whipped it up and sent it off in just a few short moments.
It was only after following along with two successful Botchford Project applicants Chris Faber (who is now Senior Writer for the Canucks) and David Quadrelli (now Editor in Chief of Nation Network) did I realize how serious an opportunity the Botchford Project was. Which made me take my next application much more seriously.
My 2020-21 Season Application
When the Botchford Project was greenlighted for a second year, I went hard to work on my application. I approached the application, less as a contest, and more so as a job application.
Here is how I answered the first question:
Why you should be a recipient?
It was game 7 against the St. Louise Blues in 2003 where I got hooked on hockey, I was 9 years old. Many of my fondest early memories came when I’d sneak out of bed to watch the end of Canucks games with my dad. In 2015, I decided to start voicing my passion through a podcast that ran for 74 episodes. When that project reached its conclusion I started a personal blog.
This passion grew into a writing stint with Last Word on Sports and now a new website in StadiumChinatown.ca. Jason Botchford knew that sometimes all people need is an opportunity and a little help to show what they could be capable of. I feel I have the work ethic and the drive to establish my voice in the hockey media landscape. I believe the Botchford Project is a perfect part of my next step.
As I have accumulated writing experience, I have discovered how much more to sports journalism there is than simply pouring words into a document and hitting ‘post’. There is an art to sports journalism; in such a saturated industry, I’ve found that presenting unique angles in a palatable voice, challenging but incredibly rewarding.
I’m still very green in the industry, but I do believe I’ve begun to find my voice in writing from a fan’s perspective with insights based in fact. Although I don’t have a formal education in journalism, I think that my desire and willingness to be a sponge is what makes me a great candidate for the Botchford Project.
Social media has been an excellent resource for feedback from industry leaders; sharing a room and networking with some of these people would be an invaluable experience for where I’m presently at with my writing. The ability to pick the brains of individuals I admire, pitch ideas, welcome feedback, and help adjust my creative process based on their advice would be more rewarding than I can put into words.
As an avid Provies and Athletties reader, sitting in Jason’s seat in the press box would be a gift in itself. Botch was a significant inspiration in my writing and I would love to improve my abilities in his name.
Not only do they ask you why you should be selected, but they also ask you what story you would pitch:
What story would you pitch?*
The world of professional hockey has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the first NHL game, however, I have only experienced the fan’s perspective of these changes.
If I was lucky enough to be chosen for this project, I would use this opportunity to ask players how the pandemic has impacted them. The brutal road trips, the isolation at home, the camaraderie of the team, mental-health; the overall human element that has affected the players off the ice.
In a recent quote, Nate Schmidt explained the realization that he has not met his defence partner, Alex Edler’s family yet. This struck a chord because such a close partnership on ice has not had the opportunity to translate off the ice.
These players have already undergone ‘the bubble’ experience in the playoffs last season, with the struggles being documented in great depth. The regular season is an entirely different beast, with more individual isolation rather than team isolation.
I would be interested in exploring the players’ thoughts on the correlation between the COVID-19 related challenges and their on-ice performance, and how they are mitigating any issues.
Given the chance to ask a player a question, I would ask a new player on the team about the adjustment they have faced in their new environment with limited support due to NHL COVID-19 protocols. Another approach would be to ask if their situational adjustments have had a direct impact on forming chemistry with teammates or adapting to team systems.
In hindsight, this was a story that had been told a thousand times, in a thousand different ways, by a thousand different people. While I would have enjoyed writing this story, it didn’t make me stand out. There was no unique angle to this story. I wanted to get more creative next time.
They also asked for writing samples, this year instead of a single article, I created a document with excerpts from various articles showing various different sides to my writing and my growth as a writer through the years.
My 2021-22 Season Application
As my opening paragraph says, for my third application I decided to be more personal. This was not a job application, but a personal question, so I thought I would give a personal answer.
Why should you be a recipient?*
This is my third application for the Botchford project and I have decided to take a more personal approach. I am proud of the projects I have worked on in the past and what we’ve started in StadiumChinatown.ca, but that work can speak for itself. I wanted this application to be about my relationship with the Canucks.
On April 22nd, 2003 hockey got its hooks in me for good. Like millions of other kids, my dad got me into the game. I knew all the players, I had their cards and I was a fan. One day my Dad got tickets to Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues. That was the day I met Fin, I was lucky enough to get a practice puck and my Dad threw me up in the air with joy as the clock counted down to zero.
At that moment hockey won my heart, I felt like I was high in the rafters experiencing pure happiness with 18,000 other people with my father staring up at me in my free-fall back into his arms. On countless nights he would sneak me out of bed to watch the end of the games when my mom thought I was sleeping, or take me to games whenever we could afford it.
I had a complicated relationship with my Dad, who passed away in 2020. We had some highs and a lot of lows together, but no matter what happened I will always have that Game 7 with him. The Canucks have found a spot in my heart and that is what ultimately led me down the path to the Botchford Project.
I was a big fan of Jason’s and read all of his Provies and Athleties. I listened to his radio hits and podcasts. Whenever he would include a tweet or a Reddit post of mine in his article, I would print them out and put them on my cubicle wall as if they were an award I had won. Jason was always someone I looked up to, even if he never knew it.
Jason was clearly someone who could recognize talent and seemed to find joy in helping the next wave get their start, and that was always something I admired. I have started forming relationships with other writers, podcasters and fans of the team. I have been able to lean on that sense of community for help, a sense of community that Jason paved the way for.
In school, I found it much more beneficial to study in groups rather than alone, and the changes to the Botchford Project are playing to my strengths this year. Focusing on multiple applicants each night creates the perfect environment to work alongside others, both new and old in the industry, and would be invaluable to my growth as a writer.
My dad passed away from an overdose, just like Jason did. But I wanted to make sure my application wasn’t a pity party or try and sound like I was a make-a-wish kid trying to relate my own situation to Kat Botchford’s (Kat is the one who reads the applications and hand-picks the lucky few) but instead, I wanted to have my story stand on its own in a vacuum.
So I never mentioned how my dad died. This application was accepted, and I got to attend a game as a member of the media.
What story would you pitch?*
The story I would pitch would be about the player’s off-ice reaction to the coaching change from Travis Green to Bruce Boudreau, and how it affected their performance. It has only been a short period of time, but it was immediately clear that there was a new feel to this team.
Players who had never been asked to kill penalties were suddenly getting asked to help the team short-handed. Players in slumps have been breaking out of those slumps. NHL rookie Vasily Podkolzin has been getting time on the top unit powerplay. These are all changes that appear to be welcomed by the players.
I would like to ask a player if they felt they had a chance to reset themselves as players. What differences between the new coach and old coach have allowed these players to break out in the way they have?
In the NHL, it is common for a bump in team play when a new coach is hired, but I would like to ask the players in what way the change in coach has helped them specifically.
While this story is slightly less cliche, it was also not exactly the most original idea. The story to pitch was always the hardest part of the process for me. When writing for this site I usually write about whatever grabs my attention that day or week, but with this application process, you are pitching an idea for an article you won’t write for months down the line.
After I was told I was accepted, I realized this pitch was not set in stone at all. In fact, I totally scrapped this idea and wrote about how Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander’s off-ice friendship was helping Höglander become a better player on the ice.
If I can offer any piece of advice, it would be to pitch an idea for an article that is creative at the moment. You don’t have to write that article later, but let this part of your application show that you have a creative mind and a unique angle of looking at things.
My writing sample this year also used a different approach. Instead of a collection of excerpts, I shared a single article. The article I chose as my sample was a mix of reporting and analysis. I picked something where I shared the facts of a story, and then broke down exactly what I thought of it, and gave my evidence for my thoughts.
This is simply reference material to help get your own ideas flowing. I have talked to several other selectees, and read their applications as reference and each one is incredibly different. I think the most important part of this application process is showcasing you and what you can offer.
It might not have aged perfectly, I might not have been right, but I was strong in my convictions and stood firm in what I believed. I was never told why I was selected, but at the time this was an article and a stance I was proud of, and I am sure it didn’t hurt my application. You can find that article here.
Now, if you plan on applying to the project and are reading this, I don’t want this to be a blueprint for you. You need to find your own voice and your own approach.
If you need advice or help with your application, my DMs on Twitter/X are open as well as on Bluesky. You are welcome to reach out anytime and I will do whatever I can to help. In my experience, all the previous applicants have been very generous with their advice and help as well. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind me saying you can always reach out to them too!
Good luck!