My avid readers already knew this, but the Tennessee Press Association made it official Thursday. I’m one of the best writers in the state.

OK, maybe I should be a little more transparent. I’m apparently one of the top-four writers in the state … in my division. That’s the award I received Thursday, getting fourth in coverage and writing. 

Shockingly, it was a photograph which helped me take home some real hardware. A great shot of Jalyn Mart swimming the butterfly, which left me soaked, was named the best photograph. Maybe what I’ve said all along is true – more pictures, less of my writing. 

The TPA awards are my Super Bowl. Every year in February, coincidently right around the time the actual Super Bowl is being played, I go back and read every paper from the year before, looking for potential submissions in all fields. It’s a tedious process, but one I enjoy because I get to critique myself. 

Some of the highlights from last year included a feature on Mart’s splendid swimming, Scott Smith’s ousting from Grundy County (maybe my favorite sports story I’ve worked on in nine years), a column about WCHS dropping the ball when it came to football scheduling and a series of stories about the dwindling participation of youth baseball and softball.

A lot happened in 2018.

The awards announcement hit home with me this week because just a few days before, I had a high schooler ask me how I ended up being a sports reporter. In reality, it was total luck.

I didn’t go to school for journalism – I have a business degree. When I applied for this job back in 2010, my response to my boss James Clark when asked about writing experience was, “I post a lot on my fantasy football message board.”

Despite that unimpressive resume, James took a chance on me. He, along with my good friend and co-worker Seth Wright, spent countless hours over the first year trying to teach me the finer points of my job. My success is owed a ton to them.

As a whole, the Standard collected 12 awards Thursday. Every year since I’ve been here, we won many awards, even taking top honors – the General Excellence award – a few times. It’s not why we do it – well maybe me, but I don’t speak for everybody. 

There are a lot of people here who just want to report the news. I’m lucky enough to be the person who doesn't have to be serious. I make little kids smile and fill up grandparent’s refrigerator doors. That’s fun and easy. 

Apparently winning TPA awards isn’t, but I’ll keep trying.