By Crystal Harrell
Continuing a legacy doesn’t happen overnight, but NBC Palm Springs sports reporter Olivia Garvey is making her own mark in the world of athletics. As the daughter of famed former professional baseball player Steve Garvey, Olivia has always grown up in a sports-centric environment and continues to make a name for herself as she reports on sporting events all across the Coachella Valley.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Olivia moved to Park City, Utah, when she was six, and relocated to Palm Desert when she was 12. She attended Palm Desert High School and took part in softball and Varsity cheer before attending Arizona State University for college. While there, Olivia studied sports marketing.
“I have loved sports all my life and growing up in a family that was a part of the sports world made it easy for me to choose this profession,” explained Olivia.
Even though she admires the successful career path her father was able to obtain, Olivia asserts that she strives to earn her own loyal following despite her namesake.
“[His reputation] doesn’t affect me at all. My dad is loved by so many and watching people get excited to meet him or anybody that’s a fan makes me so proud of the person he is,” stated Olivia.
As sports caster for NBC Palm Springs, Olivia gets to take her love for the game out to the field. She cites being able to interact and talk with the best athletes in the Coachella Valley as her favorite part of her career. One of her longtime dreams is to one day cover a professional team in the MLB or NFL.
“A highlight in my career was covering the dodgers during the National League Division Series. It is a dream of mine to cover Major League Baseball, and to have a small part in that series was a dream come true for a new sports reporter,” said Olivia.
When she’s not in the studio delivering the latest in Coachella Valley sports news, Olivia enjoys being with her family and traveling. Familial connection is very important to her and she even looks up to her parents on a personal level.
“I might be so cliche to have my parents be my role models, but they are two of the hardest working people I know and it keeps me going when I watch them and see how much success they have,” stated Olivia.
One recent accomplishment that Olivia has earned is being chosen as the Community Grand Marshal for this year’s Festival of Lights Parade on December 7, where she will lead the festivities along with Celebrity Grand Marshal Mary Hart.
“I couldn’t believe they chose me [to be Community Grand Marshal]. I am so blessed and honored to be a part of this community—a community that shaped who I am today and I couldn’t be more excited,” said Olivia.
As she continues to excel in her position at NBC Palm Springs, Olivia aspires to share the passion she has for sports journalism with her viewers and hopes that it translates across the screen.
“I wish people would know truly how much I love my job. I hope they look at me every night and see how much sports shines a light in my life…. how much I love telling a story to our community,” revealed Olivia.
In terms of the future, Olivia wishes to see herself succeeding in the sports media world and starting a family of her own. With her history already deeply entwined with the Coachella Valley and sports, she has stayed true to the same calling that captivated her as a child.
“I try to work hard, never give up, and always stay kind. It’s hard to remember to be kind in the world we live in, but it’s not hard to actually do kind things. When I was younger, people would always tell me how sweet I was and sometimes I need to remind myself to be that sweet little girl, especially in the tough industry I’m in,” said Olivia.
