I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a sports writer, but I love to write about sports. I'm not talking about the game recaps or writing about trades and team finances. What I really enjoy is the human interest side of sports---stories that get at the heart of why we pay attention to and continue to love sports. English 225 with Patrick Barry allowed me to do experiment with that side of sports writing, and I describe at length the influence the class and Mr. Barry had on me under the 'Syntax of Sports' page. Moreover, with so many great voices and stories that have already been told, I have at my disposal a whole array of examples and voices that I wish to emulate in my own writing. I write about sports because I love them and love the type of stories and narratives they allow me to tell. According to Professor John U. Bacon, "individuals matter, moments matter," and if ever there's a place where that rings true it is in the world of sports. 

 

The first voice that made me realize what an impact sportswriting could have was Mitch Albom, long-time freelance columnist of the Detroit Free Press. Growing up, my family had the paper delivered every morning and I immediately went to his column on the right-hand side of the sports page to see what he had to tell me and the readers of Detroit and its surrounding areas. The first column I really remember having an impact on me was his obituary to legendary football coach Bo Schembechler in November 2006. Mitch and Bo had collaborated on Bo's first self-titled autiobiography in 1989, and they had developed a close bond that endured to the end of his life. Since I never had the opportunity to meet Bo myself, Mitch's heartfelt column and book made him come alive for me. Through my unique perspective as a budding journalist-- I had already 'published' my own small "Gabby Gazette" in the 7th grade for 25 cents a copy-- I was starting to see some potential for me as a sports fan if I ever wanted to get in the sportswriting business. 

 

However, with this great love of sports and reading Mitch's columns, I felt I didn't have enough knowledge to write about sports and give them enough justice. So my interest waned a little bit until halfway through college where my obsession with sport amplified to new heights, as I describe in my capstone project. In my opinion, the best work I have completed in college has been through essays where I get to write about teams, games, and pieces with sport-themed ideas. I'm happy when I write about sports and get to share my knowledge with others, and it's truly the subject I feel most confident in writing. As a true student of sport constantly learning about the language surrounding it, I continue to develop my writer's voice through sportwriting.