I’ve been avoiding writing this for nearly a week.
Recently, I was watching a movie that posed the question: What’s one word you would use to describe a city?
I’ve tried to apply that to my time in Hattiesburg and the Pine Belt.
Unforgettable? Fulfilling? Grateful? The list goes on.
Truthfully, I don’t have enough words. I mean, how do you sum up nearly nine years of your life?
It’s crazy to think that as we move through life, entire years can eventually be summed up in a single sentence when we look back.
Hattiesburg will never be just one word or even a sentence for me.
If you haven’t heard the news, I’ll be joining the Gainesville Sun to cover the University of Florida.
I’m excited for the new chapter, but it’s also bittersweet.
I’m leaving behind great people and tons of good memories.
I could spend days talking about some of my favorite stories I’ve told, the great games, and the talented athletes and coaches who are filled with character.
I was also gifted to be around an endless group of good people, from coaches, administrators and athletes. I could try to name everyone, but out of fear of leaving someone off and also not having enough space in my story, I won’t do that. But you know who you are.
The same can be said for my colleagues in the media. I had the unique privilege to work alongside as well as learn from what I believe are some of the best to ever do it in the business. I’ve made lifelong friendships that I’m sure will last a lifetime.
I came to Hattiesburg as a wide-eyed freshman set to attend Southern Miss. There’s no way I could’ve guessed how impactful this city would be for me.
For those of you who remember, after college, I had a brief stint in Iowa before returning to my role at The Pine Belt News. I was hired in January 2020, which was just a couple of months before COVID put the sports world to a sudden and uncertain halt.
That time may have been miserable, but looking back, I grew and learned a lot about myself. My brief time away from Hattiesburg made me truly value the charm this place has. At the same time, the uncertainty of the sports realm in that period made me appreciate not only this line of work, but also the good days and, equally, the bad days. Those meaningful lessons are something I’ve tried to carry every day on the job since then.
As proud as I am of the work I’ve done here for the last five years at Pine Belt, it needs to be said that I could not have done this alone or at the level that I would have liked without the help of talented freelance photographers, writers, columnists, and great sports information departments. Many of these people did above and beyond work for me, and for that, I’m truly and forever grateful. I’ve also had the benefit of having a great boss in Christina Pierce, and I’m proud to have worked alongside our graphic designer, Crystal Gordon, and the rest of the great staff at Pine Belt.
It seems like that, as I’ve grown up, so has Hattiesburg, and it’s been fun to see. This New Orleans boy will always call this city his second home, so I know that I will make my way here from time to time.
So this isn’t goodbye, this is just see you later.
