Newscast #5- Julia Mellett- Fall 2018

Anchoring the fifth show was on my mind from the moment that I was brought on as one of two WVU News sports anchors. Professor Dahlia had drilled into our heads that the sports anchor that showed the most progress and produced the best work would be the one that would anchor three, as opposed to two, shows.

Anchoring the fifth show was going to solidify that what I was doing in class was the caliber that was expected. It was my goal from the beginning. From August. As I anchored the third show successfully and then was brought back into the studio to do an in-studio toss into my package, I was getting antsy. Professor Dahlia was putting me in situations that I felt I was thriving in, but we wouldn’t be told who would anchor until a couple days before the last show’s taping!

I put my last package together and thought that it was one of my best. I was energetic and the WVU Football team’s offense was doing well. I had written a conversational script, and I thought that I was well prepared. I had been collected footage of the offense from every game that I had the pleasure of being on the sidelines for. My ball follow was good, and the shots were clean and edited together well. My standup was good. Short and sweet. I had written exactly to the shots I had and I was proud of my work.

The days leading up to who was anchoring were almost as maddening as the week leading up to the placement reveal at the beginning of the semester!

When I couldn’t wait any longer, I texted Professor Dahlia and simply asked when we would get to know who would be representing sports at the last newscast of the semester. I got a response back quickly that stated, “It’s you Julia. Congrats”

I was in shock. I had worked so hard this semester. I turned all of my assignments in on time, completed to the best of my ability. My packages not only had made show almost every week, but my anchoring had been solid. Up to that point, I had been proud of the work I had done, but that put it in my mind that my work ethic and the attention to detail of my work had paid off.

I always strive for the top. If there is an opportunity to achieve beyond what is expected, I’ve always been one to attempt it. I welcome challenges, because the reward is so amazing. In this case, anchoring the last newscast became this undertaking that seemed like the ultimate of WVU News sports anchor successes. From that point on, I wanted it. It was not only a want, but a priority. These anchors had become my good friends and to close the semester out basically the way we opened it was symbolic to me.

Being down on the sidelines these past weeks has been an absolute dream come true. The reporters, photographers, and videographers became my best friends, and Milan Puskar Stadium felt like home. Getting to spend my last home football game of my undergraduate career on the sidelines surrounded by dear friends was the best way to finish off the season. I’ve had a blast covering WVU Sports, and my time in WVU News has made me realize that a life surrounded by sports is a life that I want to live every single day. Sports has an immense power to unite people who come from entirely different walks of life. To the athletes, coaches, SIDs, and everyone that I’ve told, “Don’t look at the camera. Look at me,” to, thank you for letting me share your stories. It’s really made my senior year the best year ever.