Landing the job of sports journalist with Cayman Compass has empowered young Caymanian athlete Ileann Powery to unlock new levels of personal and professional capabilities.
Since starting the role in April, she has been reporting on various types of sporting events on-island, as well as focusing the spotlight on Caymanian athletes training and competing overseas.
“I write sports stories that cover the diverse sporting events and news happening in the Cayman Islands,” she says. “The goal is to inform the community, and a wider audience about Cayman athletes and teams who compete locally and overseas, sharing their achievements through articles in our Friday newspaper, on our website, and in our newsletter.”
With a wide variety of sports on which to report, it is a busy and demanding job at all times of day.
“I’ve learned that although sports take place a lot on the weekends in Cayman, it really happens throughout the week more than we think,” she says. “With so many sports and sporting events present in Cayman, even more international competitions, and a good number of athletes eligible to represent us internationally and compete locally, there’s always something to cover.”
Importance of role
Following in the footsteps of Compass sports journalists for the past 60 years, Ileann understands the importance of her role to the Cayman Islands.
“It is important because sports coverage connects the community, provides a platform for local athletes, and fosters a sense of national identity,” she says. “This coverage goes beyond simply reporting scores; it tells the stories of individuals and teams, highlighting their dedication, achievements, and the challenges they overcome.”
As a volleyball and flag footballer player herself, Ileann relishes reporting on others who are involved in sports.
“Having the opportunity to expand my connection to the wider Cayman sports community is something that attracted me to the job, and that is something that is definitely happening as the role continues to progress,” she says.
Miss Cayman background
Holding the title of Miss Universe Cayman Islands from September 2023 to August 2024 is an honour which Ileann credits as helping her with the Compass job.
“One of the greatest values of that title was the platform it provided for me to become even more known by the Cayman community, which has helped me with being able to connect with the necessary persons more seamlessly about a specific sporting matter,” she says.
A background in photography, and projects during her reign which involved interviewing people locally, helped hone the skills she now requires; plus, as a national athlete, she has a personal understanding of, and connection with, the stories she is writing.
Thrilling events
So far, along with regular events on the local sports calendar, Ileann has covered some thrilling events and achievements.
This includes the 2025 Island Games, Jaiden Gilbert becoming a UCLA cheerleader, Davonte Howell’s 2025 Junior Pan American Games history-making records, and Kyffin Simpson earning his first-ever IndyCar Series podium finish.
Other highlights include Cayman’s 3×3 basketball historic qualification in the 2025 Junior Pan American Games, and Camana Bay Basketball Summer Camp where she interviewed NBA player Utah Jazz forward Kenyon ‘KJ’ Martin Jr.
But whether an event is on the local field or in an international arena, Ileann, who is from West Bay, is happy to cover the occasion.
“I love being able to highlight the talented athletes that Cayman has, and being able to share that with the world on a larger scale through media,” she says.
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