By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES SPORTS EDITOR EMERITUS
It’s time for a change. After having many discussions with the Eagle Times head cheese, Rich Girrard over the past few months, I have finally worn him down (or maybe he is just sick of me bugging him) and convinced him that this sports department needs a full-time person to grow and move forward. That change happened as Chris LaClair will be taking over as a full-time Sports Editor.
What a ride it has been. Because of the incredible staff here, I feel that we provided our readers with some pretty good local sports coverage over the years. Being at games then getting home and emailing things in so our readers can enjoy what we love to do is what made this job much fun for me. Covering 7 high schools and even more communities is pretty tough for any newspaper but with a full time fella on board, coverage will only get better.
Denise Hopta-Hunter, Doug MacPhee, Kristi Lisai and Bill Murphy have been by my side for years and I can’t say thank you enough. You will not find better people anywhere, at any newspaper. Your love of the athletes, teams and your communities are the reason why this sports section is so damn good, I mean really good.
Over the past 7 years, it has been my privileged to be a part of this sports team. Starting with a goofy little camera to take game pictures to the Sports Editor job for the last 3 years when nobody else would, I gave it my all and did my best with a very limited staff. The Eagle Times has been through many ups and downs but with a new local owner and a great leader at the helm, the sky is the limit. I am very humbled to have been a part of this for the past several years to help keep local sports coverage alive.
I am far from a professional and learned as I went along. I took pride in trying to get to as many games and events as I could while working a full-time job. If there ever was an amateur, it was me as I just tried my best to do my best.
I always enjoyed going to the games and putting those stories and pictures into our readers hands. The excitement of championships to the heartbreak and tears and everything in between are lifelong memories I will always cherish. I felt very fortunate to be able to pass these moments along to our readers.
The special relationships I’ve developed over the years with coaches, players, parents, officials and all of the local athletic directors I will miss. Doug Beaupre, Bryan Woodbury, Jim Taft, Jeff Miller, Gordon Dansereau, Connor Bean, Tom Frederick, Shawn Moynihan and Rich Saypack are all incredible people and care more than anyone will know about their schools, teams and athletes. If you only knew what it takes to do this job.
Join me in welcoming Chris LaClair, I think he will be just incredible, offer your assistance any way you can. The sky is the limit with everyone’s help.
Wow just wow, I am so very lucky to have a been a part of this. If you don’t love sports, you will never understand. Thank you.
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