This will be my second semester with WVU News. In the fall I auditioned for sports as well as main anchor, and ended up main anchoring all ten shows of the semester. This was a huge deal and an amazing opportunity for me...but when picking classes for my final semester at WVU I couldn’t help but want another shot at covering sports.                     

January rolled around and I found myself in the same room... in the same spot... for my second first day of WVU News. I was in the class for a reason and was dead set on getting a sports reporter spot. I knew what it would take, and I had reporter experience now so I auditioned and got the news that I got it! I was so excited! I knew I would have always regretted it if I never got the chance to cover sports, which would then allow me to be able to apply for sports jobs.            

I am definitely more experienced than I was in the fall, but sports is a whole different world compared to the hard news I was covering before. It is an intimidating world, especially for a young female college student. That is what makes it so exciting and scary at the same time.

                                                                                                                

My first story was covering National Signing Day for WVU Football. This day is basically Christmas for high school seniors and junior college transfers. They get to sign a paper that will possibly determine the rest of their lives! This is what I love about covering sports...the stories that lie underneath the X’s and O’s of the game.Many Mountaineer fans are mainly looking at the stats of these new players, but what I see is that young athlete who out worked everyone else to have this opportunity.

I finally submitted my story and already wanted push myself to make the next one even better. The good thing about this industry is that you can learn from your mistakes immediately.

We had our first show and I felt fine...up until the point that I had to go on camera. It’s funny how quick the nerves come back. We did our first run through and I learned very quickly that I still talk in my serious news voice instead of my fun sports voice. So that was something I immediately had to work on. We finished with a good take and I later found out my story got picked up by ESPNU! There is no better feeling than when your hard work pays off.

I know this semester is going to fly, but I am ready to make the most of it. After just one show I have already learned, what feels like, a semester’s worth of knowledge.

                                                                                                        

In addition to all the crazy sports stuff, we also found out our special addition show from last semester won best college newscast in the nation! This makes me want to accomplish so much more before I leave this wild and wonderful place.