Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow
My parents always told me that all good things come to an end, and for me, Prep Rally has always been a very good thing. For better and for worse, now it's come to an end for me.
When I started this blog for Yahoo Sports three-and-a-half years ago, I sat down with a pair of sports blog editors and came up with a strategy we thought would present compelling content that would help people connect with prep sports. We never imagined it would become what it has.
Over the years, I've covered tragedy and triumph, and always where the two intersect. I've reported on coaches behaving badly, athletes behaving badly and adults (usually parents) behaving badly. More happily, I've written about redemption and using tragedy as a catalyst for positive change.
Amidst all that, I broke news of the youngest American to receive a European professional basketball contract, a major college basketball coach (perhaps unintentionally) violating recruiting regulations and troubling reports of the exploitation of international students at a Virginia high school.
Still, the most memorable stories were the ones that showcased how school sports can lift the human spirit. Starting with this terrific story of Washington teen Ike Ditzenberger's touchdown run, tales of kindness and inspiration have consistently risen to the top of prep sports. What I hope this blog has made clear is that these inspiring moments pop up everywhere, from Washington to West Virginia, with a pit stop in Wisconsin along the way.
It goes without saying that these stories are captivating because they showcase the best of the human spirit. In truth, prep sports tend to do that all the time. We shouldn't read and write about school sports simply because they are sports; we should read and write about school sports because they showcase the best of sports, and ourselves.
With that in mind, I hope this remains to be a place where readers will gather to discover some of the best stories in sports. I don't know what Yahoo's full plans are, but I know that Ben will continue to be here with some of those tales for the rest of the month. There are other great high school sports to follow, too, and I'd encourage you to check them out here, here and here, not to mention at your local newspaper's website.
As for myself, I'll be writing again sometime soon, though I can't say precisely where or when yet. In the meantime I would love if people follow me on Twitter right here. I'll be tweeting about the best and worst of prep sports and plenty of other fun moments in sports.
I'd be remiss if I didn't thank a couple of people for helping Prep Rally along the way. Mark Pesavento, Jamie Mottram and Matt Ryan, the passionate and brilliant blog editing mind trust that were essential to getting us off the ground and growing. The editors who have been tireless in their help along the way, particularly Eric Marentette and John Gaines. And of course the entire Yahoo Sports Blog crew, which has been an even more amazing group to be a part of than I ever could have imagined. If you don't already read everything (not just Shutdown Corner), you really ought to check out Dirty Tackle, Dr. Saturday, The Dagger, Ball Don't Lie, From the Marbles and the rest of the roster. They're all well worth your time.
Yet, most of all, I want to thank you, the readers. Without you this entire process wouldn't have meant much at all. You're the straw that stirs the complicated yet delicious cocktail that is prep sports coverage, and you're chiefly responsible for the success that we built here together. We were always a team, and I hope you felt that way as well.
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is the editor of Prep Rally on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at preprallyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
