"A sporting life"
By Claudia Gryvatz Copquin

As host of The Golf Channel's Conversations with Ann Liguori as well as Sports Interview with Ann Liguori, airing on SportsChannel and FoxSports cable networks nationally for eight years, Ann Liguori has interviewed a slew of celebrities (many right on the golf course). Among her interviewees are Sylvester Stallone, Celine Dion, Joe Pesci, Alice Cooper, Kevin Costner, Charles Barkley and Amy Grant. So it's no wonder she's been dubbed the Barbara Walters of the sports world. Excerpts of some of her interviews have been captured in a recent book: A Passion for Golf, Celebrity Musings About the Game (Taylor Publishing).

But Liguori, 38, is not a female interviewer in the male-dominated world of sportscasting. When she's not at radio station WFAN taking calls from sports buffs during her four-hour weekly ration program Hey Liguori! What's the Story?, she's running her own television production company or working as a reporter for the golf and tennis U. S. Opens, PGA and LPGA events, World Cup Soccer and the New York City Marathon. But Liguori's passion is golf which, she says, more than any other sport provides a window into the soul of another person.

Q: Have you noticed any recent changes in sports, especially golf, regarding women?

More and more women are playing. I think women are realizing that golf is a tremendous way to network and to meet business contacts; women are finding that golf is a tool for business...Their male counterparts are conducting business or bonding with clients on the golf course and often women who don't play golf feel left out…It's four to five hours of socializing with someone you are not really in direct competition with.

Q: What have you found challenging being a woman in sportscasting for over ten years?

Everything! It was a very tough road to break into as a woman. My first year at CBS Sports, I was twenty-two, right out of college. All the women there were secretaries. [But] I realized if I wanted to reach my goal, I had to get experience. I thought as a woman I needed twice as much experience as my male counterparts, and I needed to prove myself twice as much. By going freelance at twenty-two, I was able to work for a variety of networks and write for a variety of sports papers. Every day you are changing traditionally mentality. I think it's getting better. We've made a lot of progress, but I still think we're lacking in areas where women make the major decisions in sports departments and until women get into upper management levels in sports departments, then we're still going to be struggling.

Q. Do you find it a struggle, balancing everything you do professionally?

It's pretty overwhelming. The hardest thing is booking the guests. That's the producer part of me. Nobody else can get the people I need to talk to; it's very hard to get them. That's where all the work comes in…My husband, Steve Geller, works with me. He edits the shows, does a lot of research, travels with me. And we have people all over the country doing different things, independent sales people. We hire crews on location…It's difficult but I love what I do. Even though we work very hard, we have a passion for sports so we live our work. We work 24 hours a day basically, but our work is fun.

Q. But why golf? Why not, say, shoot hoops with a celebrity?

The beauty about doing these interviews on the golf course is it breaks down all the barriers. Golf humbles everyone. It's the kind of sport where you can learn a lot about somebody; how they react to over-whelming challenges.

Q. Who have been your worst and best interview subjects?

I can tell you the person I had the most trouble pulling things out of was Bjorn Borg. He was very reserved and unwilling to talk about his private life or anything other than tennis. That was years ago. Charles Schulz was very reserved, a fascinating, brilliant man. He doesn't give too many interviews. He drew mea couple of Peanuts characters and signed them. There's a rapport you develop and a level of respect. I pride myself on my reputation.

Q. Who would be your dream golf interview?

Sean Connery. He's such an avid golfer. He's a little difficult to catch up with but I'll get him. I'd like to get him in Scotland, on a gorgeous course. I really admire Oprah Winfrey but she doesn't play golf. I really admire Barbra Streisand – all my heroes don't play golf! But most of the people I've wanted, I've gotten to. There are a lot more people to get; it's just a matter of enough hours in the day.

Claudia Gryvatz Copquin is assistant editor of Distinction and a freelance writer.