There's absolutely nothing like covering high school football for me. I don’t get the rush like I do on a Friday night, hurrying to interview the coach and meet an 11 p.m. deadline right after the game is over. 

Nothing compares to Friday night football, but I do hold a special place in my heart for covering soccer. 

Why you might ask? Because, if it wasn’t a particular experience a few years back, I may not be where I’m at today. Who knows, I may not even be in this profession at all. 

The date was March 18, 2012, and I was a freshman at Greene County High School in Greensboro, Georgia. Like most people my age, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life post-high school graduation. 

On March 18, that all changed. 

I was sitting in Mr. Victor Lane’s classroom during homeroom. Lane was the head boys soccer coach at the school and was in need of a public address announcer for that day’s games. Coincidentally, my older brother, Justin, was the primary announcer, but was out of town on a college tour as he was a senior at the time. 

When I walked in the classroom, Lane came to me and asked if I could fill in to announce both the girls and boys games. I, of course, hesitated at first but eventually agreed to do so. 

Little did I know what would ensue just a few short hours later. 

I walked up to the press box to kick off the night’s festivities, a nervous wreck. I opened the door to the press box and read off the Georgia High School Association’s sportsmanship statement, announced starting lineups and played the national anthem. 

As soon as I finished all of the opening announcements, I took a breath and realized that I was exactly where I wanted to be. 

I always say it was like “love at first sight,” as cliche as that sounds. But it’s true. 

Now, given the fact that it was my first time ever announcing, I stumbled a few times along the way, but that didn’t change what I had felt when I first got to the press box. 

I knew right then and there that I wanted to cover sports full-time in whatever capacity. 

After my brother graduated, I went on the next three years to announce all home soccer games as well as a few basketball, baseball, softball and other sporting events for my alma mater.

I pursued and earned a journalism degree from the University of Georgia as well as a sports media certificate from the Grady Sports Media Program. 

But none of that may have happened if it wasn’t for March 18, 2012. My life could be different if things had played out differently, but I wouldn’t want to find out. 

Whenever I walk the sidelines of a soccer game, I’m grateful for that night and how it forever changed my life. 

I have since enjoyed watching soccer whenever I can and have grown more of an appreciation for the sport itself. 

And that’s why I look forward to kicking off another season of soccer and my first in Newton County. 

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