AFTER north of three years and thousands of articles penned, I can safely say this was my hardest piece to string together.
How can I possibly squeeze my thoughts into a single piece of text?
Not very easily it proved.
With no background in journalism or writing for that matter since English Literature at A-level, I took the leap of faith to leave finance and join the Jersey Evening Post.
It turned out to be the best career decision I’ve made to date.
Sport has always played a key role in my life.
From playing college golf in Texas, I fell in love with a wider array of sports, from American football, to baseball, basketball and even ice hockey.
I realised that it didn’t really matter the arena, pitch or course, my obsession was with competition and the jeopardy of winning or losing.
I knew finance wasn’t my calling from an early stage and, after four years of trying to convince myself otherwise, I left.
In search of meaning, and a career that would give me a sense of purpose and passion, all roads led to sport.
I owe a lot to Simon Petulla, the page planner at the JEP. I’ve known him for many years through his son, and it was him who told me that they were looking for another sports reporter and that he thought I’d be a great fit.
I applied and ended up working under Jason Fox – the sports editor at the time.
I didn’t really know what to expect, but, at 27 years old, I’d found a job to get excited about and a place I’d ultimately feel at home.
Steven Anderson helped promote the incredible sporting landscape in Jersey for over 3 years Picture: DAVID FERGUSON
I have always cared deeply about sport in Jersey, and have been impressed with the talent we’ve produced on our small ‘rock’ in the English Channel.
But it was hard to foresee the profound lasting impact our sportsmen and women would leave on me.
I was fortunate enough to witness first-hand the Jersey Reds’ incredible Championship-winning campaign, before their devastating demise just months later as the club entered liquidation.
What rose from those ashes was a renewed fight and focus on the amateur arm of Jersey RFC and, 18 months on, both the men’s and women’s first teams have flourished, as have the minis and juniors section.
The future looks bright under the guidance of head of rugby Myles Landick.
Being able to witness and document their journey and countless more is what I hold most dear about this role.
What I perhaps didn’t foresee happening is how invested you get.
You become fans of clubs, sportsmen and women, hanging onto every stride of progress, riding the rollercoaster of emotions that go hand in hand with competitive sport.
From tracking Filip Nowacki’s incredible progress in the pool, even lining up alongside swimming royalty Adam Peaty last year, to Joe Parkinson’s simply outrageous double-Ironman achievement, the success stories run deep.
We, as sports reporters, have a vital role in telling those stories and providing a deserved platform to praise those who have excelled in their chosen field.
Despite small strides in the right direction, I firmly feel that sport’s impact and importance is greatly misunderstood.
It’s not just about those at the peak of their powers, who make a mark on the national and international stage. It’s the clubs that offer Islanders a sense of belonging, a community and, ultimately, a second family.
Sport for some, is a way of maintaining fitness, while for others, it can offer a vital form of escape from external worries.
Truth be told, sport is far more central to Jersey than most realise, including myself when tip-toeing into the world of journalism at the beginning of 2022.
My first article for the Jersey Evening Post was about Jersey Men’s Cricket captain Chuggy Perchard and his nomination for CI Sports Personality of the Year.
The talented sportsman went on to win that award, and the piece dated 12 January 2022 is framed and hung on my wall at home.
There is a real sense of pride when your name is attached to every piece of work you write.
To be at the forefront of local sport and become a spokesperson for the community has been a privilege.
My first-ever back-page story, came just two days after my start date. Jason had placed his faith in me from the outset and to be given that immediate responsibility was something that stuck with me. It shaped my style as the sport editor here and giving reporters a sense of ownership is vitally important.
Everyone has their own unique voice and story to tell. To suppress, or force a writer to conform, only hinders their ability to grow.
Although the end of my time at the JEP is nigh, I am proud to say my attachment to local sport will live on.
I have taken up the position of media and communications officer at Jersey Sport and I’m excited to continue telling the inspiring sporting stories of our Islanders.
From a personal standpoint, I want to thank every single person involved in sport locally.
You continue to inspire me, amaze me and quite simply get me out of bed every single day to absorb myself in my work.
Across my tenure, I have been incredibly fortunate to brush shoulders with hundreds of Islanders across an array of disciplines.
I am perhaps more proud to call several of them friends.
The messages of thank you I have received recently have honestly blown me away.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the wood from the trees during the daily grind, but writing this piece provided a valuable opportunity to reflect.
You have all been generous with your time, and placed your confidence in me to tell your story.
I just hope I’ve managed to do your achievements, accolades and milestones justice.
While I might not be hassling you on a regular basis for weekend previews or recaps, rest assured I will be cheering you all on from the sidelines with my Jersey Sport “hat” on.
