Farewell, Washington

For the past 2 1/2 years, it has been a pleasure to call myself your sports editor.

However, as is life, all good things must come to an end.

After accepting a position in the Quad Cities (and out of the journalism game altogether), Friday marks my final day as the Washington Evening Journal sports editor, but these are years I won?t ever forget.

The week after I started in 2014, it felt like a trial by fire with state track and state golf in the ensuing weeks, but little did I know the community was going to be right there to help me along.

From spending my summers chatting with whoever was in the Demon press box at Dick Sojka Memorial Field during long Demon baseball doubleheaders, to even spending a little bit of time behind the microphone doing PA work for the baseball and basketball teams, it has been a tremendous experience.

Over these 2 1/2 years, I have been able to cover just about everything, from back-to-back state golf championships, the state football quarterfinals, the state softball tournament, the state basketball tournament, the state soccer tournament and state cross-country.

Probably one of the most impactful events I was able to cover was the state wrestling tournament. Although I grew up in Iowa, I never truly understood wrestling, and never once thought I would get into it.

However, that may be the one sport I?ll miss the most, with the fun I?ve had covering and following all the area wrestlers, and going to the past two state tournaments, including the state duals this past February.

There are so many thank yous that need to go out to so many people, so while trying to keep this brief (before the Oscars? music starts to play me off), I want to be sure I touch on just about everyone.

First off, thank you to The Journal for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to start my career. Coming out of college, I still had a lot to learn about journalism, and by coming here, I was able to get a better feel for what kind of a writer I wanted to be, and where some of my crazier ideas might be a little too crazy for print.

Next, I want to thank the coaches I have worked with over the last two years. From complaining about St. Louis sports with Steve Roth, to extra basketball chats with Highland?s Marcus Hall, and everyone that I have come to respect over the last few years, it?s been fun.

I appreciate all the help that you guys have given me as I cover your teams, because without you, my job would be much more difficult.

Next, I would be remiss if I didn?t thank my competition. Competition truly does breed success, and I want to give a shout out to my friends Nate Gonner at KCII and Jeff Yoder at the Kalona News, for helping raise the bar.

While I?ll truly miss seeing these guys at games, chatting about anything and everything, they helped me raise my game to a different level, as I was always striving to be the best media outlet in Washington County.

Whether or not I succeeded is a matter of subjectivity, but with these guys bringing their A-game every day, it made my job more fun and more rewarding, and I truly hope I helped them raise the bar on coverage in the area.

I want to thank the Washington County community as well. From seeing people out and about, to chatting with everyone at games, you were who I was doing this job for.

I hope I gave the coverage you were looking for, and I always appreciated your feedback.

With the kindness you have shown me over the past 2 1/2 years, I hope it extends to whoever takes the seat I am in now. With all that?s going on in Washington County, especially with Winter Sports about to kick off, they will need some assistance getting acclimated and learning about everything in the area. Help them, and you can help the Journal sports section continue to succeed.

Finally, I want to thank the people that, let?s face it, I wouldn?t have a job without: The students.

From spending nearly every night next to, or in some cases, on the competition field with you, it truly has been my pleasure to watch each and every one of you compete.

For many of you, I?ve seen a majority of your careers, as you?ve grown and matured through the last few years, and that has made this all worth it.

Talking to you after games, or even running into a few of you outside of sporting events, it?s a unique relationship we build, and one that I?m sure you will bring to whoever follows in my footsteps.

While I may have had to take my bias out of my attitude during contests, know that I?ll be following from afar, and rooting for all of you.

I want you to remember to always respect the game, and most of all, respect your opponents.

Again, I thank you all for your support over this stretch, and now I must truly say goodbye.

I most certainly won?t be a stranger when I?m in town, and if there are any events in the Quad Cities, I will be doing everything I can to be there.

Thanks for everything, Washington County.