The reality began to hit me once I stepped back into the BB&T Coastal Field press box following post-game interviews Sunday evening. All the South Carolina media were excitedly making their reservations for Omaha.
I wanted to go, too. It's the biggest stage in college baseball, so what journalist wouldn't want to make that trip? But Coastal's loss was difficult for other reasons as well. I knew it would be the last game I'd ever cover for The Sun News.
Tuesday was my final day at the paper. I was staying as long as Coastal baseball kept winning. With the season now complete, I'm starting a new chapter in life. I'm going to get in my car and drive around the country with my brother for 45 days or so before settling in Charlotte.
There are people in the journalism industry that think I'm crazy for leaving. This is a great job, one of the best to come open this year in sports journalism. But it wasn't the ideal situation for me.
I knew it would be difficult to separate my past (as a former Coastal athlete) from my responsibilities to our readers. Covering Coastal football last fall was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, and I had no desire to do it again. Plus, it's time for me to start a new phase of my life, and that was always going to be difficult in a place where I went to school, played a sport and later worked.
My first story for The Sun News appeared in the Sept. 8, 2002, edition. My last will run in next Monday's edition and look ahead to 2011 for Coastal's baseball program. In between, I've worked as a stringer, an intern, covered news, covered high school sports and covered Coastal athletics.
This community will always hold a special place in my heart. I walk away knowing that I worked as hard as I possibly could -- first as a player and then as a journalist -- in my eight years here. Quite honestly I've driven myself into the ground with a lot of long hours over the last three years, and I plan to enjoy the good life that I couldn't as a college athlete. I figured if I didn't do that now, I probably never would.
I'd personally like to thank all the people that supported me as a player and a journalist. There are also many people -- far too many to name -- that have helped me do my job effectively over the years. I'm going to miss the people here. The thing that makes any place special is the people.
Thanks again for everything.
So this is it.
Game over.
I wanted to go, too. It's the biggest stage in college baseball, so what journalist wouldn't want to make that trip? But Coastal's loss was difficult for other reasons as well. I knew it would be the last game I'd ever cover for The Sun News.
Tuesday was my final day at the paper. I was staying as long as Coastal baseball kept winning. With the season now complete, I'm starting a new chapter in life. I'm going to get in my car and drive around the country with my brother for 45 days or so before settling in Charlotte.
There are people in the journalism industry that think I'm crazy for leaving. This is a great job, one of the best to come open this year in sports journalism. But it wasn't the ideal situation for me.
I knew it would be difficult to separate my past (as a former Coastal athlete) from my responsibilities to our readers. Covering Coastal football last fall was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, and I had no desire to do it again. Plus, it's time for me to start a new phase of my life, and that was always going to be difficult in a place where I went to school, played a sport and later worked.
My first story for The Sun News appeared in the Sept. 8, 2002, edition. My last will run in next Monday's edition and look ahead to 2011 for Coastal's baseball program. In between, I've worked as a stringer, an intern, covered news, covered high school sports and covered Coastal athletics.
This community will always hold a special place in my heart. I walk away knowing that I worked as hard as I possibly could -- first as a player and then as a journalist -- in my eight years here. Quite honestly I've driven myself into the ground with a lot of long hours over the last three years, and I plan to enjoy the good life that I couldn't as a college athlete. I figured if I didn't do that now, I probably never would.
I'd personally like to thank all the people that supported me as a player and a journalist. There are also many people -- far too many to name -- that have helped me do my job effectively over the years. I'm going to miss the people here. The thing that makes any place special is the people.
Thanks again for everything.
So this is it.
Game over.
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