By Brittany Burke
“Who you are defines what you do.”
That one line muttered by Max Carrigan, a fictional character in Julie Taymor’s Across the Universe, can pretty much sum up how I made my way to becoming The Recorder’s first female sports editor.
Being a sports fan with a passion for writing led me to my job as sports editor. I didn’t wake up one morning and say, “Hey, I want to be a sports writer,” I just kind of fell into that career path.
There are a few things that I could’ve been defined as in high school; class valedictorian being one of them. I went to a technical high school, took health technology and became a Certified Nurse’s Aide.
All the CNA certification meant was I was allowed to take care of people in a nurse’s home. I could give bed baths, change diapers, feed them, move them and clothe them. While I didn’t mind spending time with the patients in the homes, changing their diapers wasn’t something I could exactly stomach and I never used my license.
Basically, I wasted three years in high school, pursuing something I would never use. Guess I just have to be thankful I didn’t waste my time in college.
Despite my apprehension and overall dislike for the medical world I still made the decision to ship up to Worcester and major in speech pathology. Within two weeks I learned that the whole science thing wasn’t for me, so instead I switched to teaching and English, while simultaneously making the decision to apply to CCSU.
The only good things that came out of my year Worcester State, also known as the Woo, were my two best friends and my love, which by the way has turned into an obsession, for the Bruins. Each week our trio would watch the games in the top floor of our freshman dorm, yelling when the B’s loss and celebrating when the team won.
When I got back to Wallingford I found myself religiously watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs, not because I loved Sidney Crosby, but because I loved the game and the men in black and gold.
You can blame this year of life for why my section happens to have an immense amount of hockey coverage. The best times I’ve had as a staff writer, assistant editor and now section editor have come from my late nights I’ve spent shivering at the Newington, Simsbury and Danbury hockey rinks. Don’t ask me why, but I love covering the team.
Looking back it probably now makes sense that I’m a sports writer, but in high school and even my freshman year, writing for a living never really crossed my mind.
My plan for transferring in to CCSU was to major in English (my third career change if you’re keeping count) with a focus in secondary education and a minor in journalism.
During a transfer student session I saw an ad saying the paper was looking for sports writers, so I went on the website and emailed the editor-in chief. From that point on I’ve been a staff writer (see, it’s really not that hard to get involved with the paper, if you were wondering.)
The first article I ever wrote was a women’s volleyball preview, not exactly hard, but for a girl who came from a high school and college with no paper and no journalism experience it was a start.
Despite having to cover women’s volleyball and women’s basketball for my first semester I fell in love with journalism and began to find my voice. It also helped that I was the only one who wanted to cover the hockey team, making it my beat.
So for the fourth and final time and without my parents knowing I switched concentrations to journalism with a minor in English, getting rid of the idea of teaching all together.
I was able to keep my journalism major a secret from my parents for almost a year before a friend of mine said something in front of my dad at her graduation party. My dad had a hard time accepting I no longer want to be a speech therapist, making enough money to buy him a new set of golf clubs, never mind a poor sports writer. Luckily he eventually got past the switch and accepted my new major.
I spent a semester as a staff writer before being bumped up to assistant sports editor. Once my editor graduated it only made sense for me to take over the position.
As sports editor I’m lucky enough to have enough writers to delegate stories, whether it be game stories, news pieces or player profiles. I’ve gotten to see amazing wins, devastating defeats and even more devastating personal losses.
Being a journalist isn’t always the easiest thing. How do you speak to a football player after a member of his team was just killed? Or a coach who’s team just lost one of the most essential games of the season?
It may not always be an easy job, but it’s one I wouldn’t give up. There’s a reason why I willingly stay in the office until past midnight on Monday nights.
I’m not your typical sports editor, but that gives me a unique perspective on things. I can argue about sports with any man and hold my own, but I have a completely different side to me. I was a dancer for 12 years, read ESPN the Magazine and The Hockey News before reading the latest issue of Cosmopolitan and I flick to Sex and the City during Bruins commercial breaks.
Finding my way to The Recorder wasn’t initially a plan I had when I transferred to CCSU, but it has helped me realized what I want to do when I graduate next year.
Due to my job I have found my passion for hockey journalism, seen Kentucky, interned with Whalers Sports and Entertainment, met Gordie Howe, interviewed Phil Esposito and found who I am.
Not bad for someone who answered an ad on a college bulletin board.