Up Close + Personal: Stephania Bell
Chiara Boni Petite Robe suit | Betsey Johnson shoes
Since joining ESPN in 2008, Stephania Bell has broken new ground in the field of sports medicine reporting and has become a trusted voice for athletes' health and injury insights.
As part of our special "Women in Sports" issue, we are thrilled to feature Stephania Bell, a pioneering sports journalist and injury analyst renowned for her expertise and insightful analysis.
Her trailblazing career continues to inspire many aspiring professionals, and today, she joins us to share her journey, challenges, and what it means to be a leading woman in the sports industry.
As a leading voice in sports medicine, what inspired you to pursue this career path, and what challenges did you face as a woman in a male-dominated field?
It’s funny; there wasn’t exactly a roadmap for transitioning from a clinical and academic physical therapy practice to sports media, especially at the time I made that move, which was before the rise of social media. The truth is, I simply followed the professional interests I was passionate about—sports medicine and education—and combined them with my love for sports and, more specifically, fantasy football. I played in a highly competitive co-ed fantasy football league and noticed that my league-mates often came to me with injury-related questions. They were curious about recovery timeframes, what to expect when players returned to action, and similar topics—many of the same things people want to know now—but information was much harder to find back then. In fantasy football, everyone is looking for an edge, and I quickly realized I had knowledge that could be valuable. Thus began my quest to figure out how to enter that space just as fantasy football was poised for significant growth.
I think the fact that there were so few women in the sports industry at the time, especially in the fantasy football space, made me acutely aware of my need to prove my value. This was not new to me. I chose to practice physical therapy in the orthopedics and sports arena, and although physical therapy was (and continues to be) a female-dominated profession, that particular area has a higher ratio of men. The orthopedic surgeons I regularly interacted with were almost all men, so having predominantly male colleagues was familiar territory. While I set high performance expectations for myself regardless, there was a sense that if I didn’t perform well when I transitioned to ESPN, I would be letting down other women trying to pursue similar paths. The toughest part initially was gaining acceptance from some of the sports fans. I joined ESPN before social media, but through comments on columns I wrote or in website chats, I often encountered stereotypical “get back in the kitchen” remarks. But I believed that my work would ultimately speak for itself, and that has largely proven to be the case.
Beyond my self-imposed pressure, I have found the environment at ESPN to be largely welcoming. It’s important to note, however, that it has primarily been men who have afforded me many of my career opportunities, including those at ESPN. I am thrilled by the growing presence of women in orthopedics, sports, and sports media, including fantasy football, and I hope these women will continue to empower more women. But I will always be grateful to the men who opened doors for me.
Skies Are Blue Vest and Pants | Billini USA Shoes | Ring By Rommanel | Necklaces By J Rose Designs
What’s one of the most rewarding moments in your career?
It's hard to narrow it down because the rewards for me have come in bits and pieces along this incredible journey. I think my heart is the happiest when I hear from people—both medical and non-medical—that they find my work credible and informative. I loved the years I spent in academia, and I've always enjoyed the "teaching" aspect of my profession, whether it was instructing a patient during clinical practice or teaching my professional and post-professional students, or, now, the audience. If someone tells me they learned something by watching me, or if a medical colleague says I represented a topic well, that is perhaps the best compliment I can receive.
One incident stands out from early in my media career that impacted me profoundly because it resonated on multiple levels. A young woman approached me after I spoke on a panel at a fantasy football draft event in Chicago. She said she was so grateful I was on air discussing injuries and rehab because, for the first time, her husband truly appreciated what she did professionally. It turns out she was also an orthopedic physical therapist. After her husband, a fantasy football enthusiast, heard me speaking on ESPN, he remarked, "I had no idea physical therapists actually knew this much about sports medicine." A backhanded compliment, perhaps, but nonetheless, it opened someone's eyes to what is required in our field. Changing perceptions and opening minds is a powerful thing, and I take none of that for granted.
What advice would you give to young women looking to break into sports medicine, broadcasting, or any other sector of the sports industry?
Stay true to the things you are passionate about, and let that passion guide you along your professional journey. Where you start may not be where you end up; I can certainly attest to that. Every experience shapes you and prepares you for what comes next. I also tend to view the rejection of an idea or a proposal as a "not right now" rather than a definitive "no," while I work to find a way to transform it into a "yes." Work hard at your craft, but be equally diligent in building your professional relationships, as those will be what sustain you.
Photography by Vivian Pisano
Hair + Makeup Ali Beshara, The Secret Garden Spa
Styled by The Style Duo