Thanks for 3 1/2 years of fun
By Sam Martin
Assistant Editor
I have spent three and a half years at The Record, tapping away at the corner desk under outdated college football schedule posters. I have strived to fill these pages with stories and articles, and I am sad to say this will be my last.
Beginning next week, I will start as the sports editor of the Dallas County News in Adel. My coverage area will jump from one school to seven, and I will be closer to my family and girlfriend in Des Moines, but I will miss the friends I have made and the people I have worked with in the BCLUW community.
It’s difficult to wrap up hundreds of games, meets, tournaments and events into one neat little package. It is a bit overwhelming when I stop and think about it: We have published 170-some issues of The Record since I began working here. Beyond the friendly confines of Beaman, Conrad and Union, I’ve followed Comet athletic teams to 39 other towns and cities, from Ames and Ackley to Waverly and Woodward.
That includes four exciting state track meets, three nail-biting wrestling meets, and more than a few trips to Fort Dodge — a trio of state cross country meets, and, oh yeah, a pair of softball championships at Harlan Rogers Park.
There’s not enough newsprint to thank all the coaches, athletes, parents and readers I’ve worked with, but I’d like to point out a few. Curt Paugh and Kristen Garber sent over (or dropped off) results, without fail, after every game. I bugged Les Penick and Donna Fiscus at mostly inopportune times, and they were always helpful and accommodating. And no matter the result, Josh Ehn, Stacy Simpson, David Lee and Matt Zoske were always available for comment. I’m thankful for their professionalism because it made this job so enjoyable.
I’d also like to thank Chuck Friend and Fritz Polt. Chuck gave me my first post-collegiate journalism job, and Fritz has been a good colleague and a great friend. I’ve learned a lot from both.
It’s funny how life works. One of my earliest memories is of me, a snot-nosed little tyke, perched on my grandfather’s lap on his golf cart at Pine Lake Country Club in Eldora. He controlled the gas and I the steering wheel as we terrorized the rolling hills, laughing the whole way.
A couple of short decades later, I ended up on the same course, walking the same hills past the same red, decrepit golf cart storage units. Only this time around, I was here for work — golf and cross country meets.
A lot of my favorite memories are rooted, in some way, in sports, and that’s probably why I was attracted to this profession in the first place. I’ve worked hard to chronicle those same memories for the members of this community, and I hope I’ve done a good job. Thank you for reading along.