Farewell but not goodbye: onto my next chapter

I vividly remember my first assignment, an ice bath challenge to combat veteran suicide. I recall wearing a button-down shirt that my mom recommended, my Wrangler News credential and walking up with my camera in hand. I was shy and nervous. I stood around, behind the scenes — likely looking out of place — for a while before searching inside the veteran post for the lady I was supposed to meet.

I conducted my handful of interviews and took plenty of photos, praying I had what our publisher, Don Kirkland, was looking for. It took me a few hours to finish business and return home, and promptly began writing. That was in 2021. One of those photos made the cover and now, three years later, it’s a bit odd when my photos aren’t on the cover anymore.

As you may have read in our previous issue, I’ll be moving on to cover sports in Washington state. It’s a big step for me, moving to a place I’ve never been to and meeting a whole new community; but it’ll also be a big step for Wrangler News. Wrangler News was my first journalism experience outside of courses at ASU. If it weren’t for my mother who harped on me to reach out for any type of experience, who knows where I’d be. I began as a freelance writer, authoring a story per issue with photos to go along with it. From the moment I got there, Don was welcoming and encouraging. After all, my first assignment made the front cover.

As time went on, I settled in and gradually increased my workload. I slowly took on more responsibility with Wrangler. After a year or so, I worked my way from freelance writer to content coordinator — a title I never truly understood, but it opened the door for more stories and photos. Another year went by, more faces came and went as I stayed alongside Don. I took charge of sports coverage and stepped up as chief photographer. There are very few, if any, papers that will offer that package of writing while providing your own photography, something I never took for granted.

Another year went by before Wrangler went yet through another makeover. I stepped into the associate publisher chair and picked up the advertising, accounting, photo editing and layout on top of my previous duties as a writer and photographer. It wasn’t easy, being a one-man show, but something I learned to take pride in and love.

Over the last year, something clicked for me. I couldn’t tell you what it was or when it was. Maybe it was the workload; maybe it was becoming the face of Wrangler News at high school games, city events and community gatherings, but it overpowered me. There was a great sense of pride and joy knowing it’s my job to work with all of you in the community I grew up in and have shared for the last 25 years. My passion for covering high school athletics and to provide coverage and a voice to athletes who cherish the opportunity to see their face and names in a paper made it a pleasure to work with everyone I’ve met.

So, as I turn the page and write my next chapter of my life and career, thank you to all the people I’ve worked with in the small Wrangler office; to all the athletes who allowed me to share their stories; to the coaches for working patiently with me — through the wins and losses; the parents and teachers; to our advertisers who I’ve worked with; and most importantly, Don. If it weren’t for you, Don, for allowing me to stick around and giving me the freedom of creating my own stories, unique angles and creative ideas, I wouldn’t be ready for my next adventure.

I hope that I’ve left Wrangler News better than I found it and I hope that you all continue to support and read in my absence.