Letter from the editor: Sports editor prepares for fall
Sports editor Aarik Long introduces himself to Evergreen readers
Sports editor Aarik Long gets ready for the fall semester
August 25, 2021
It seems like sports journalism has always been a dream for me. Well, maybe not always. But it’s close to a decade now, at least.
From the time I was a freshman in high school, I fell in love with the idea of being able to combine something I felt I was good at and something I was passionate about.
As far back as I can remember, I always “enjoyed” writing. I say “enjoyed” because I am not really sure if I was actually enjoying it or enjoyed being good at it early on. Now, it is definitely a passion, a safe space even.
I truly am excited and thankful to be on the Palouse and serving Evergreen readers as the current sports editor.
The Palouse area reminds me a lot of my home. It feels comforting. It really is like a second home, just 2,331 miles away from my actual home.
Everything from the weather (aside from the heavy snow), the environment, the people and the passion behind the sports teams mirrors northwest Georgia.
I love the sense of family you feel while walking through Pullman — even more so now that everyone is back.
And getting to do what I love here is just the cherry on top. I mean, who would not want to get paid to watch sports? That sounds like a dream for almost any sports fan.
Add on the honor of serving one of the most passionate fan bases in any league or sport in this nation, and it is a recipe for a job that is more of a passion project than an actual job.
If there is anything I want to show through in my work this semester, it is passion. I want to be able to match the excitement and love WSU fans show for their Cougs on a daily basis.
I want us to tell the stories of the student-athletes we cheer on every week. The stories of how they made it to Pullman and what they do in their time away from the field. I want to show the human side of these players rather than just what we see when they are giving their all in Crimson and Gray.
We are going to continue to cover the games and matches these student-athletes compete in, of course, but we also want to talk about the athletes themselves even more this semester.
