COLUMN: I sure do love those club sport athletes
I’ve been on staff at The Statesman for about a year, and I love it. It is without a doubt the best job I have ever had. I have learned a ton about the state of Aggie athletics and the state of sports in Utah, in general.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every Utah State team in action and written about a majority of them.
There’s not a single sport that isn’t fun to cover. I love talking about sports, and when I say sports, I mean all sports. I jump on the stories no one else wants to cover because it’s just another opportunity.
Most writers want the hot-shot stories like the BYU basketball game re-cap and the near-win over the Auburn football team.
While those stories are great, what I really enjoy writing about is the club sports on campus.
My editor Tavin Stucki is probably shaking his head as he reads this, and he’s probably waiting with some clever comment for me.
I really do enjoy covering Utah State’s club system. The athletes I’ve met through these stories are some of the most gracious people I have ever dealt with.
Aggie hockey has the best chance of any team, club or varsity at earning a national title for the university. The Utah State baseball club swept its division last season. We have a handball club and it’s pretty good too.
The best part is these athletes love their sport so much they will pay to play. Most of the club sports on campus are funded by the university and, while helpful, that money doesn’t come close to covering the full cost of playing. Each player pays dues to play, which can get expensive.
While varsity athletes are undoubtedly excited about their sport, it’s hard to match the enthusiasm of the club sports participants.
Covering clubs sports is my thing. I like the attitude of the players. It’s a laid back I’m-out-here-doing-what-I-love feeling. Dealing with press isn’t an annoying but rather necessary part of the post-game routine, because they appreciate the coverage.
I went with my friend to cover the baseball game last weekend against Weber State, and all the players were actually excited to read the article. Even though I wasn’t the one writing it up, the excitement was extremely refreshing to hear.
Last night, I was at a friend’s house and one of the players was there. He talked about all the cool and unusual things going on and was excited about the possibility of having a story in the paper. It’s such a great experience for me also.
It’s not just baseball. The lacrosse team is incredibly gracious as well. Every club sport I’ve dealt with makes me all that more optimistic about sports.
I give my kudos to the club sports department and my props to the USU students who play club sports. The rest of the Utah State student body should, too.
They get along without the media relations hoops to jump through and the deep pockets of varsity programs.
Seeing people enjoy what they do is why I enjoy what I do.
– Meredith Kinney is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism, and she’s an avid hockey fan. She hopes to one day be a bigshot sideline reporter working for ESPN. Send any comments to meredith.kinney@aggiemail.usu.edu.