Student Alumni Spotlight

Discover the stories of previous students who have turned ambition into achievement, and be inspired to imagine what’s possible for your own future.

If you’re a former student who’d be happy to share your career journey, please drop us an email at lithgowl@changinglives.education.

Celebrating Ailsa’s Journey in Sports Journalism

We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of former student Ailsa Cowen, whose passion for sport and storytelling has led her to an exciting career in sports journalism. Ailsa shares her inspiring journey from her days at West Lakes Academy to becoming a BBC Sport Journalist, offering a fantastic example of where ambition and hard work can lead.

At West Lakes Academy, I studied English Language, English Literature, Art and P.E at A-Level. I’ve been asked before whether those were the “right” choices for journalism. Honestly, I think the best subjects are the ones you enjoy and feel confident in. Art and P.E might not look directly linked to journalism on paper, but I knew I could do well in them, and the grades I got helped me move on to the next stage. Having a genuine interest in sport has obviously been useful too.

At GCSE, I loved subjects like History, English and Art. But I definitely didn’t find everything easy. Maths, for me, felt like a completely different language. I scraped through my GCSE with a grade C and that was with a lot of extra help from Mrs Plews and Mr Moore, who must have the patience of saints.

Looking back, I think it’s important to say that not being good at everything doesn’t stop you from getting where you want to go. You just have to put the work in where it matters and ask for help when you need it.

School isn’t always straightforward for everyone, and it certainly wasn’t perfect all the time for me either. But the effort you put in does count. Even when it doesn’t feel like it at the time.

After sixth form, I went on to study BA (Hons) Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire (now the University of Lancashire). The course gave me practical experience from day one. We covered live news days, worked in TV and radio studios and learned how the industry actually operates. For my final news day, I reported live from pitch side at Bolton Wanderers F.C., which was one of those moments where everything started to feel real.

I graduated with a First-Class Honours degree, which I’m really proud of – especially because it came from consistently putting the work in.

After university, I started freelancing with BBC Radio Manchester as a Broadcast Assistant, helping out on their Sunday football programmes. I also did commentary for Salford City F.C., Rochdale A.F.C. and Manchester City W.F.C.. That led to covering Premier League games for BBC Radio London, including fixtures like Liverpool F.C. vs Arsenal F.C. and Burnley F.C. vs Chelsea F.C.. Those early freelance years involved saying yes to opportunities and learning quickly.

I later worked as an Editorial Lead at Cognitive Publishing to understand more about the PR side of the industry. But sport pulled me back in. I freelanced for GOAL before landing a social media role at talkSPORT, where I helped manage and grow their online channels before moving across to the writing team. After that, I joined GRV Media as an SEO Writer, producing content across several sports brands.

As of December 2025, I’m working as a Digital Journalist at BBC Sport. I write news stories across a range of sports and help run live blogs for Premier League matches, the Women’s Super League and other major events. No two days are ever quite the same, which is something I really enjoy.

I grew up in West Cumbria with a dream of becoming a sports journalist. It didn’t happen overnight, and it definitely wasn’t a straight line. But by working hard, listening, choosing subjects I enjoyed and taking opportunities when they came up, I built my way towards it. If you’ve got something you want to do, stick with it. There’s no reason it can’t be you.