Every kid dreams of who they want to be when they are older. Some dream about being an astronaut, others a firefighter; Kayla Grey dreamed of becoming a sports storyteller, and she has accomplished just that through her flourishing career.
Grey is an award-winning sports reporter currently with the Toronto Raptors and TSN, host and anchor of her own show, The Shift with Kayla Grey. Grey is the first Black woman to host a national sports show, and she utilizes her platform to advocate for Black representation. Grey has made ground-breaking moves in the sports industry with her presence on TSN and the path she has paved for women of colour.
I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Grey to talk about her life, career, love of sports, and the challenges she has faced in the sports media industry.
Grey’s love for sports began when she was a young girl. She has talked about watching sports, specifically baseball, with her grandparents on their television. The way her grandparents and she connected through sports would stay with her throughout her career. Grey mentioned that even though they were of different ages, their love of sports unified them.
Grey knew this career path was for her and said, “For me, it made me feel the deepest. The excitement, the suspense, the anger, the debating, for some reason, my spirit was mostly engaged through this way. For some people, it’s books. For some people, it’s movies. For some people, it’s other things. For me, it was sport just because I learned so early just what a unifier it was”.
As a Black woman in a field dominated by white males, it makes it 100 times harder to get into the industry. When asked if Grey has ever had a moment where she felt as though she belonged in her field, she replied with, “No, I don’t think there ever is. You know, for me, a woman, a Black woman, coming into this space, the rules say that I’m not supposed to be here. And I think for my own self-development, I’m kind of grateful for that. If I felt like I belonged, I would be doing this wrong”.
Upon entering the sports media space, Grey faced negative feedback from her boss at the start of her career. The word “lucky” was thrown around just because of who she is. The unfairness surrounded by that word needs to be detached from women in this particular industry. After discussing the tough beginning of her career she replied saying, “I don’t know where this courage and bravery came from, but I think it did come from a place of, if you’ve read about me and my upbringing, it wasn’t the easiest, and I’ve actually had to make harder decisions as a teenager than I did in that moment.”
Diving deeper into the backlash she has faced in the industry, she stated, “My growth is not a group project.” Pointing to all the watchers who aren’t her biggest fans.
In a 2021 video, after the Black Lives Matter movement emerged, Grey and Donnovan Bennett spoke about being Black in the sports media industry. They mentioned being the default when it came to race, being the one who is always asked to speak on issues regarding race, etc. They added that, at times, being the default bothered them.
“I think if you look at society, it feels like we certainly are reverting. What once was this fake enthusiasm for DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) is what we’re now realizing was enthusiasm to stay alive in jobs and to stay in public favour, as opposed to honouring what DEI actually is here to do”, said Grey.
Grey explained that she is beyond thankful she works with TSN, saying they are #1 and rightfully in that spot for her, not only because she works there but because they stay loyal to their word. Grey started her show on TSN, The Shift, in May of 2021, and she said that it’s “not just a testament to the community that showed up to support The Shift, which really has kept us alive, but I also think it’s a testament and commitment from TSN that they’re willing to do what it takes to keep storytelling like this going. And it’s not just because we need more diverse voices”.
Storytelling is one of the most important aspects of the game for Grey, but was she always rooting to report on what she reports on now?
Yes, Grey always knew she wanted to be a sideline reporter for the Toronto Raptors. She remembers sitting in the 300s section with the Boys and Girls Club and looking out and knowing she was going to do that when she was older. She tells me, “I had never held a mic at six years old, but I just always knew that I was going to do that. My love for the game has been the most rewarding relationship in my life.”
For many, finding your purpose in life is a huge challenge. Some think you need to find your purpose right at 20 years old, but to Grey, it’s a never-ending journey. Grey talks about how important purpose is; not knowing your purpose, but finding and searching for it. “I think that you’re always redefining what purpose could look like.” She said it’s always important to stay curious and remain open to unlearning and learning.
Grey has made a name for herself by being authentically herself. She has built her career on dreams, hard work, dedication and believing in herself. I look up to Grey not only because she is a successful woman in the sports media industry, but also because she never gives up on herself and others.
Between being the first Black woman to host a national sports show and acing those sideline interviews, she is killing the game –the game of sports and the game of life.