Searching for the next big thing

What a long, strange trip it’s been. and it’s only the beginning.

As I approach one year working at the Press-Republican, I took some time to look back over the past year of what has happened.

I’d say the first year went pretty well, and it excites me for what is in store.

I saw people come and go. It goes from fellow Press-Republican sports writer Drew Wemple arriving shortly after I did, to leaving for a job closer to home. To the first group of seniors I had the pleasure of meeting and knowing.

These instances brought me multiple opportunities to bring the story to you. There were stories on Sydney Myers, Abbey Schwoebel, now sixth-grader Maddy Newcomb and Dan Parker, the new head coach for the women’s basketball team at CCC.

There were celebrations and heartbreaks, watching schools win sectionals and make runs in the playoffs. Those dream seasons ended before many wanted to, but any student-athlete I spoke with never showed anything but confidence in them and their teammates.

This summer, I’ve been able to showcase some — but not all — of the exciting sports world that the North Country has to offer. From the Adirondack Coast basketball camp to the Plattsburgh Soccer Camp, the area has shown the promotion of keeping kids active.

Stories like these I’ve mentioned, have ignited my desire to bring stories to you that you wouldn’t hear everyday.

I’m not meaning game recaps, which kick back into session at the end of August.

Rather, the story about a kid, student athlete.

Rather, the story about an event, camp, league and whatever else is happening in the North Country.

It could come from Champlain or Bolton. Maybe Saranac Lake or Lake Placid.

I just want to cover what you want covered.

For the record, I am only one man and I do have a job to do. That’s getting the sports coverage to you everyday.

That doesn’t mean I don’t want to go outside the box to cover an event.

I’m meaning I don’t know everything that’s happening, and I don’t know about every event that’s going on, or going to happen.

Someone once told me that features are what drive the sports section. It gets away from the standard stuff and gives a story on someone, or something, that the public may not know about.

Outside of the normal everyday coverage that high schools get, did you know about the EMERY Athletics Youth Soccer League? Pat Shaughnessy is leading the charge to create a youth sports league for children. Practices are set to begin the weekend of Aug. 28.

I’ve learned this summer that fishing, or rather anything related to Lake Champlain is coveted and coverage is expected. We’ve seen locals Brett Carnright and Alec Morrison win the first two MLF events on the lake in the Toyota Series and Phoenix Fishing League, respectively.

There’s still three events planned to be on Lake Champlain, beginning with the Bassmaster Elite Fishing tournament, Aug. 17-20.

What I’m asking you is to help. Help me bring you the sports you want to see covered. Maybe there’s an event I don’t know about, or a student with an interesting story. I’m sure you, the reader, may know of something and I would be forever grateful for knowing about it.

As I said, it’s been an interesting first year at the P-R and I’m excited for what’s to come.

Hope you are too!

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.