'Plainsman Press' brought out my best

by Brant Thurmond, sports editor

 

For the past two years, I have been on the staff of the Plainsman Press staff.

I have gone from the one student who once sat in the back of the classroom and didn’t talk to anyone, to the sports editor.

When I was a senior in high school, I never even thought I would be on this staff, though I knew I wanted to write. But I wanted to write for broadcast and not for print. I participated in News Writing in UIL when I was in high school and was a regional qualifier as a junior and a senior. While at Regional UIL, Charlie, along with a student at the time named Jacob Tucker, spoke to us. I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time, but later on I would remember that I had met them before.

At orientation before my first semester, it took a man by the name of John Sparks to truly introduce me to Charlie Ehrenfeld. I needed some extra hours to have a full schedule. That was when Mr. Sparks asked Charlie if he could use another writer on his staff, and Charlie said we’d sure love to have him.

During my first semester, I was just a staff writer, and I wrote mainly sports stories. I would write my stories, turn them in, and leave.

It took me two weeks to figure out how to even get on the Internet on a Macintosh computer. I had to ask the associate editor at the time, Jacob Tucker, how to do it.

During my two years on the staff, I have managed to write several sports stories and sports opinions. This spring, I had the chance and the privilege to cover the George Strait concert in Lubbock. If you knew how much trouble I went through to get to go, you would understand how big of a deal this was to me. Nobody from our staff got me into the concert. I had the nerve and took the initiative to get a press pass and talk to the right people, and it worked. While doing so, I managed to get contacts in Nashville, Tenn., and with George Strait’s promoter, Front Page Publicity.

Now to the man who has made me the writer I am, Charlie Ehrenfeld. Charlie, you have been more than a teacher to me. We have been through a lot, from telling me where not to go in New York City, to constantly marking my paper up with the dreaded “blue pen.” Without your great advice and dedication to your job, I do not think that I would be here today and be the sports editor. You have truly helped me become a great writer and help me gain from this experience.

Now to the editors and staff.

What can I say? You guys are, without a doubt, the greatest inspiration I have.

First, Caroline. I remember our first semester when we would sit in the back and just mind our own business. Caroline, you have become my closest “chick friend” I have had while at SPC. From hanging out on the weekends, to constantly hearing me yelling for you to come fix my page, you will be missed. Even though I will not be on the staff next semester, I will still be around. Feel free to call me up any time you need something. You are very talented and have a great future in journalism.

Hilary, your loud voice is very intimidating. You have been a great helper whenever I needed help with headlines or whatever it may have been.

Laura Cain and Brittany Bradford, you two girls are crazy as all get out. Your personality helps bring a smile to my face whenever I am down as well as anyone else.

Beka, you were very shy when you first came to the staff. However, you know what it takes to get the job done. You have all the small-town- girl qualities, and that’s what makes you unique. There have been times when we could just sit and talk about people we know from certain little six-man football schools, and nobody else would know what we were talking about.

To the rest of the editors, as well as the staff, without your hard work and desire to work your tails off and be great journalists, our staff would not be the award-winning staff that it is. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication during those long Paper Nights.

I would also like to thank former editor-in-chief Jon Seaborn and Ray Buffington, as well as former associate editor, Jacob Tucker. You guys believed in me from the start. I would like to thank you for all of  your encouraging words of wisdom you gave me. I truly believe you are the ones who got me started on my career of being a journalist.

As for me, I will be around. I will be here next semester, and possibly for the spring too. I just want to thank you for not hating me because I am a broadcast major and not a print journalism major. The bond that one group of people can have is amazing, even if most of them are print majors and not broadcast majors. You guys have really accepted me for who I am, and I truly appreciate that. 

I would also like to thank my mom, dad, and brother for always being there.

Mom and Dad, you guys have always believed in me to pursue my dreams of being a journalist. Without your constant support and your large amounts of money, I would not be where I am today.

Breck, even though you are currently in Cuba as part of your journey in the Marine Corps, I truly want to thank you for being there and for being a great example to me. I look up to you and wish you the very best in everything you do. 

I leave the staff with one final thought. If you ever get down and feel that your life is nothing but complete chaos, just remember that you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.