Lowcountry sports fans, allow me to (re)introduce myself.
I’ve been immersed in the local sports scene here in the Lowcountry for the past 12 years, first as a sports reporter and editor at The Island Packet, and more recently as the Sports Information Director at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.
Now I’m bringing my love of sports and this area to a new venture, and the fact that you’re reading this confirms my belief that we’re embarking on something special.
When I left The Island Packet as sports editor in 2011, I was disappointed that we were no longer providing the kind of local sports coverage Lowcountry athletes and sports fans deserved, and the state of things has steadily diminished ever since. As a sports fan myself, I’ve been frustrated at how difficult it has become to keep up with local teams, and I know I’m not alone.
We’re going to change that.
It will start small, to be sure. I’m only one person, and I’ll continue to work full-time at USCB, so this largely will be a labor of love. But bear with me as I feel this out, and rest assured that as long as you’re reading, I’ll do my best to keep reporting as much local sports news as possible, and in a timely manner.
This is a blank slate, and I want to hear from local sports fans about what they want to see, but let me lay out my initial vision for the site.
First, understand that my top priority in life at this point is my family – we have a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old (turning 7 and 4 this summer), and I don’t plan to neglect them to do this. That means I’m not in the business of going out and covering games every night, and frankly, I don’t think that’s the kind of coverage most fans want. Sure, we’ll run the scores and stats, provided coaches submit them online or via email, but I plan to focus more on the big picture.
If you recall the old Preps Plus page we used to produce in the sports section every Friday, you’ll have a good idea about the kind of content I have in mind. Notes and nuggets, athlete Q&A’s, area stat leaders, and the like will be regular features.
We’ll have a strong social media presence to aid in recognizing the performances of the many great teams and tremendous athletes the area has to offer, and we plan to build a network of local sports fans who can help keep each other up to date on what is happening.
It’s going to be a lot of work, and I’ll need cooperation from the stakeholders – the coaches, ADs, event organizers, and sponsors, among others – but it’s going to be worth it, because you deserve better local sports coverage.
Great!