IF THE HAT FITS: Goodbye to 2023
Dec. 29—It's time to say goodbye to 2023. But before I said my salutations, I took a look back at the year that was.
It was another exciting year in the world of local sports, and I traveled a lot of miles to try to capture as much of the action as possible.
There were state tournaments, history being written in real time, and a many stories told. I made a multitude of new friends and connections, and I think it's safe to say I've officially made myself a McAlesterian at this point.
But the coolest part of my job will always be getting to spend time with local student-athletes, mark their incredible feats for the local paper of record, and — most importantly — watch these kids grow into incredible young men and women.
This is my fourth year at the McAlester News-Capital, which means the seniors this year were freshmen my first fall. I'll be saying goodbye to them in a couple of months, and I'd be lying if I said I won't get misty-eyed.
But it's not really a goodbye. It's definitely a "see you later!" Because as I tell them, I'll always be in their corner and doing my best to keep up with what they're doing now. And I'll always be ready to visit when our paths cross again.
This sentiment was represented well recently on a trip to Tahlequah. While spending some time exploring the town between basketball games, I found myself crashing Northeastern State University's men's basketball practice. And wouldn't you know it, but there was a young man whom I covered years ago in my time in radio.
He excitedly came over to chat, and we spent about 10 minutes catching up and just talking about life. And I left that gym with a big grin on my face.
The sports are great. They're exciting, they get in your blood, and they give us a reason to have a little fun.
But it's the people that make it all worth it.
I've made so many new friends and connections, from student-athletes to coaches to parents and fans. People come up and tell me they enjoy my work, and I respond with it's because I live and work in a great area. My job, while very taxing, is also pretty simple at its most basic — giving a platform to tell the stories of the great people here in southeast Oklahoma.
It's a wonderful life, as they say. And I'm excited to see what 2024 has in store for us all. Happy New Year!
