Last week while I was taking team photos for our upcoming fall sports section “The Kickoff,” I was asked by one of the student-athletes what my favorite sport to cover was.

I thought for a moment before answering because my mother always told me to think before I speak. Now I do not always remember that, but on this particular day I did.

There really was no reason for the hesitation because the answer is easy. I have been giving the same answer for more than 30 years now.

And that answer is all of them.

There is nothing better than covering high school sports.

I love getting to know the coaches, the players and the family members of the teams that I cover for Leader Publications.

It is a thrill to watch our teams chase after championships. But it is more than just that. I enjoy getting to know the “stories behind the story” as the season progresses.

You learn a lot about a person by how they respond to success, adversity and failure.

Through the years, I have covered so many great kids.

Some of these kids are now starting to enter the coaching ranks and their children are reaching the high school level, so I am covering another generation of those families.

I would have to say that with few exceptions, all of my dealings with our student-athletes have been a lot of fun.

Do I have an occasional run-in with an angry parent? Sure I do. But I try my best to correct whatever the problem might be and in most instances, I become friends with those I have had to deal with.

Have I even thought about wanting to be a beat writer for a college or professional team? Of course I have.

But then I attend one of those events and I realize just how special my job here at Leader Publications is because of the high school kids that I get to deal with on a regular basis.

Another question usually comes up toward the end of each season and that is, which one is my favorite?

That answer is always the same too. And that would be the next season.

 

Scott Novak is sports editor for Leader Publications. You can reach me at scott.novak@leaderpub.com.