Sports Column – Reflecting on my first year with The Journal

I’ve been on staff here at The Journal for almost a year, and time sure has flown by in that span.
I thought this week I would tell the story of my hiring process and talk about some of my experiences from the past year.
I was approached at Vardaman’s athletic banquet last May by Journal publisher/Ram soccer coach Joel McNeece. “I have a proposition for you,” he said. “Let’s set up a time to talk.”
Less than a week later, I met Joel at the soccer practice field where he told me he needed someone to help take the sports section off his hands. I would essentially be responsible for filling that section myself each week during the school year.
Needless to say, as a young journalist, I jumped at the opportunity. I love this county, especially its sports, and I wanted the opportunity to tell their story.
I guess I was officially hired in July when football preview time rolled around, and then I started learning the ropes.
My first real assignments were getting some photos of football fall camps and putting together the four team previews for that season. I started forming relationships with the coaches in our county, and we became a part of each other’s weekly routine.
Of course, all of this was in the midst of me handling announcing and social media for Vardaman football, something that I am entering my seventh year of this fall, another way I can tell that time has flown by.
Still, I spent plenty of time around all four football programs in the county, and I’m looking forward to doing it again this season with two new coaches to cover.
All the other sports seasons had their big storylines as well, and I even got to cover a state championship run by Calhoun City girls’ basketball, something many first-year journalism jobs might miss out on. Hopefully that’s the first of many titles I get to cover in Calhoun County.
As far as some of my favorite memories of the past year, it’s really hard to narrow down. COVID-19 changed and halted the sports world this spring, so I have been a part of covering non-sports stories as well. I’ve gone from covering games and athletes to masks and businesses, but the idea is still the same: I’m just telling stories.
To say the least, this has been the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m very happy to be on board at the CCJ.
I’ve had countless people approach me and tell me how much they enjoy reading what I write, and you all are the reason this career is worth having.
I look forward to seeing what year two and beyond hold for me at this newspaper in Calhoun County.