First, you need to know what I do - I write and copy edit for the sports section of the school paper. I'm a journalism major, not focusing on print, but I got a job there anyway, because A) my favorite G.A. told me to, B) I love sports, and C) I love to write.
This has already been a really amazing year. I'll go ahead and lay out the "downsides": (although they really aren't too bad unless it's football against Alabama). You can't wear any Hog gear or cheer for the Hogs when covering a story.
One of my first stories involved me getting to interview a swimmer at the university who competed in - get this - the Olympic Trials. And she didn't do too bad either. I like to think that everyone I get to interview could potentially be in the Olympics now.
A highlight of the year, although a loss, was getting to cover the Alabama game. I got to go to the press box on our home field...and it was fantastic. I sat near the likes of Mark Edwards, a tv sports anchor that I have watched since I was a child.
The press box had a plethora of food. Pastas, salad, drinks, cookies and cakes. And I had a press pass. A legit press pass, with my name, spelled correctly, printed on it.
The press conference after the game was scary. Our coach was quiet and our quarterback was angry, and I got to witness it.
A majority of my stories this semester covered soccer, my sport from high school. I watched the No. 1 team in the country play us, and I watched as we started over with a brand new coach. After the games I had opportunities to talk to the coach and players.
I covered a volleyball game in the middle of the season and sat on the press bench, four seats away from three-time Olympic gold medal winner Kerri Walsh Jennings, a woman I had admired ever since I decided at the age of 12 that I wanted to grow up to be a spiker on an Olympic volleyball team.
(My dream of being 6 foot 4 also was crushed by genetics, as I haven't grown an inch over 5'2 since the same year I decided to become a spiker.)
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| Our kicker, who visited during a night of camping out |
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| The quarterback, a super nice and patient guy |
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| Press conference |
