Wednesday, April 6, was National Student-Athlete Day. Even though I’m a week late to recognizing this special day, I didn’t want the opportunity to pass by without highlighting the student-athletes I have the privilege of covering. 

The Newton County area is filled with many remarkable student-athletes. This is true across Alcovy, Eastside, Newton and Social Circle high schools, and across all sports, too. 

Talking to and featuring students, specifically, is the best part about being a sports reporter to me. It’s honestly one of the main reasons I wanted to become a sports writer in the first place. 

Each person has a story to tell and, the coolest part about that fact is each person’s story is unique to them. With that in mind, when writing individual stories, it can be a daunting task to be sure and tell each student’s story effectively. But, most of the time, the student-athlete makes that part easier. 

Specifically in my time here in Covington, I’ve met some impressive students who have been some of the nicest athletes ever. 

I know it has to be nerve-wracking for a high school student to be asked a bunch of questions while having a recorder in their face, but the students I’ve talked to have been absolute professionals. Some students have gone out of their way to speak to me when I come to cover one of their games, too, which is also pretty special to me. 

Recently, I’ve been referred to as “The Cov News guy” at games and that’s perfectly fine with me. 

Personally, I’ve loved chatting with each athlete we’ve highlighted so far and look forward to featuring even more in the remainder of the academic year. 

So, to all of the student athletes in the Newton County area, thank you for being willing to talk to “The Cov News guy” and trusting me to tell your stories. To the athletes I haven’t met or spoken with yet, I look forward to featuring you in the future when the opportunity presents itself.

Happy (a week late) National Student-Athlete Day!

Phillip B. Hubbard is sports editor for The Covington News. Reach him at phubbard@covnews.com