OK....I've watched this one develop and it seems Mr Stunnell knows more than most here (I'll pick his brains so as not to put my foot in it) however,
We've all had knock-backs from agencies...I completely ballsed-up a chance by emailing an agency and including the wrong company name in my spiel about how much I wanted to work for them!
OOPS.
That was very early on, I now proof-read emails. However, the responses I got from the owners were honest and frank and taught me a very valuable lesson (other than proof-read before hitting send).
You will always get knock-backs...sometimes it's because you're trying to punch above your weight and approaching someone who you aren't that ready for.
Sometimes you get a knock-back because they just don't need another tog in your area. The Northwest is very full of togs...you should move to Bristol, there's me and The Bionic Dan and that's about it.
If you look at every knock-back as an outright "No...never" then you need to seriously think about giving up or you'll drive yourself crazy and into a big deep pit of depression.
Perhaps you need to SERIOUSLY think about this and whether this is the life you want to lead...yeah it's great being able to tell your mates about being sat at the touchline for a premiership game, but the pay's crap, the hours are long and often anti-social...I see my girlfriend for 1 day a week really, she works M to F, 9 to 5 and I work Saturdays as my main day for upto 9 hours at a stretch...so that leaves a bit of Saturday, and Sunday. Lord knows what will happen if we ever have kids. Plus the competition to get anywhere, and to get regular published images is immense...if you're getting your knickers in a twist about 1 agency saying "no thanks" then you're going to find a lot tougher than if you go "OK thanks very much for your feedback" and then go out and shoot a few games, improve your work and approach them again saying "here...look how much I've improved"
It's a very very tough business to get into, and to survive in if you get there...think very carefully about whether you can handle it. I've seen guys whose lives have been really battered by Sports togging...there's a reason quite a few guys are single.
If after all this soul-searching you DO decide to keep at it...then develop a thick skin. Fast. Some of your FB friends will be harsh about your abilities, and you need to rise above that and prove people wrong. I've been trying to prove people wrong since I was 15 (finally I can say - "yeah, I'm not such a waster now am I Mrs Seymour of year 11 fame" - screw you, I've made something of my life, unlike you suggested) so I'm pretty well versed at it by now, you need to learn damn fast.