A sports reporter’s farewell to Chambers County
Published ten:30 am Saturday, April 1, 2023
I could probably have only lived in Chambers County for ten months, but I’ve created so a lot of memories that it feels like pretty a couple of years.
I will be leaving The Valley Situations-News and returning to the University of South Carolina.
When I moved ideal right here, I wasn’t confident what to anticipate or how I’d be received.
Definitely everybody I met, from players to parents to coaches welcomed me with open arms and ideal away created me definitely really feel at residence.
It was tricky meeting coaches and players from seven special schools, but I created a lot of fantastic connections and memories with each and every single of them.
I was thrown into football season in Chambers County in my initially post-graduate job, and it was stressful but enjoyable.
The initially game I covered was Chambers Academy against Lee-Scott.
I was blown away by the outcome, but I nonetheless enjoyed going by way of the ups and downs with the Chambers Academy family members members.
I didn’t adore functioning till a single in the morning, but I grew accustomed to the hectic schedule.
I will not overlook the postseason as appropriately, with Chambers Academy earning their revenge much more than Escambia but losing a battle to Clark Prep in the semifinals.
Springwood, who I was told was a technique filled with instability, ended up surprising me by developing it to the state championship.
I traveled to Montgomery to cover that game, and it was the most emotion I’ve ever noticed in a larger college football game.
I’ll by no indicates overlook the emotion of head coach Joey Burch along with Cayden Cook and Trestin Garrett in the postgame press conference. It was some issue that created me basically appreciate my job.
When basketball season came about, I was told that Lanett, LaFayette and Valley would be the three teams to seem out for.
I had no clue what I was in for when I saw the Rams beat LaFayette all the way back in November.
Basketball season was arguably far much more stressful than football season, but joining each and every single college along their season journey was comprehensive of feelings, in distinct in the regional rounds.
All three Lanett-LaFayette games have been packed with fans, and each and every single game had a modest more which indicates to it.
I’ll by no indicates overlook when Elijah Whitifeld hit a shot from half court to send the game into double overtime, and every and each and every single fan stormed the court.
In spite of the truth that Lanett and LaFayette fell Jacksonville, I got to stick to Valley by way of to their ideal season.
I spot 1,388 miles on my auto in just much more than two weeks, but it was all worth it to see the Rams create history with their initially ever state championship.
The day they won could probably have been the longest day of my life, but just seeing the joy from head coach Marshon Harper, the players and the fans created that definitely really feel like I was a element of the group.
Even obtaining back to town and watching all of Valley flock to the college for a celebration was some issue I’d by no indicates seasoned regardless of creating up in a tiny town myself.
Covering Point University athletics has been a pleasure as appropriately.
I got to see a new era for the football technique as appropriately as a conference championship for the women’s basketball group.
I even enjoyed covering recreational sports, which I by no indicates believed I would.
It was a relaxing way to commit my evenings and just chat with people about the neighborhood.
I didn’t get to finish baseball, softball and soccer season, but I enjoyed standing in the dugout with teams and shooting photos.
Becoming in a tiny neighborhood like Chambers County basically created me appreciate the modest components, like seeing coaches or players anytime I consume in a restaurant or just speaking about life outdoors of a certified setting.
I also got a modest reporting information outdoors of sports, with two tornado events affecting the surrounding areas.
I did want to be a climate man when I was modest, but the most important element of it was hearing people’s stories and sharing them.
It certainly took some obtaining utilized to when I moved ideal right here from South Carolina, but completely everybody treated me like I was family members members.
To all the coaches, thank you for welcoming me to your teams and becoming presented, even late at evening. I’ll make confident to hold up with each and every single of your teams and cheer you on from afar.
To all the players, I enjoyed covering all of you, and I know that you will all land in the best locations no matter what happens.
To all the fans, thank you for coming out and supporting your teams even though also welcoming me to your fan base.
I hate that I couldn’t stay ideal right here to see all these applications and people create, but I’m moving onto a special profession path.
I want to thank The Valley Situations-News for supplying me an possibility in my initially job out of college.
In spite of the truth that this is goodbye, I will come back to Chambers County and go to anytime I can.
As I leave, I want to say go Rebels, Rams, Wildcats, Panthers, Skyhawks, Bobcats and Bulldogs!