During the past few weeks, our sports section has featured each high schools’ softball team. To gather content for the articles, I went around to the squads’ preseason practices to interview the head coaches and players.
When arriving at each of those practices, I didn’t need a roster in hand to know the players’ names. I didn’t have to start each conversation, “Hey, I’m Phillip with The Covington News. Nice to meet you.” Nothing like that.
The experiences I have enjoyed the last few weeks attending practices was a far cry from what I experienced around this time two years ago.
I officially became the sports editor of The Covington News on July 27, 2021. On day one, I remember intentionally staying in our office to first get to know my coworkers better. Beginning on day two, I hit the ground running.
My first stop was to meet each high schools’ athletic directors for “State of the Program” articles. With our annual Football Preview Magazine publishing in less than two weeks, I met with the four football coaches at their practices. And then I began working on our softball previews for the 2021 season.
It was an uneasy feeling walking up to those practices knowing that the coaches and players had no clue who I was. Putting a recorder in their faces after just meeting them did not help the awkwardness at all, either.
I did that for all sports in my first year. It was a challenge, to say the least. Even so, I knew, if we were going to tell meaningful stories as an entire sports coverage team, I needed to take the lead in developing these relationships.
Fast forward two years later and those strong relationships have paid off.
It would be easier for me to just email, call or text for everything, but it’s more rewarding and beneficial to actually show up to cover the action. Sharing worthwhile content that people are eager to read can only be done from the sideline or at a practice.
You get better quotes, a better sense of the story within the story and, as a Johnny Cash song says, “You were there when it happened, so you guess you ought to know.”
By showing up on a regular basis, too, my name has changed for a few people. Oftentimes nowadays, people don’t even refer to me as my “real name” anymore, which I absolutely love. A few people call me “The Cov News guy,” “Phil” or “Hubb.” There are the players who call me “Mr. Hubbard,” but, to be honest, that just makes me feel old.
Clearly, the work put in getting to know coaches, players and school officials has benefited myself as well as the paper. It seems others are noticing, too.
The Georgia Press Association awarded our storytelling with our coverage team sweeping the Sports Feature Story category.
That doesn't happen if we're disconnected or have no clue who and what we're covering. But, it's made possible with strong connections and our team being a constant presence at sporting events.
With that said, year No. 2 has been much more enjoyable than year No. 1 ever was. Not only that, but the stories we’ve shared have been better, in my opinion.
I've had a blast getting to know people more — example: our summer series of athletic director profiles — and it's been fun covering each school's athletic programs.
Now, with the school year already started, I'm even more excited to see what year No. 3 holds.
If it's anything like the first two years, it is sure to be a good one.
Phillip B. Hubbard is the sports editor for The Covington News. He can be reached at Phubbard@covnews.com.