My great uncle was a sports reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal covering University of Wisconsin Football and Men’s Basketball, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, and more. He covered five Super Bowls, a Rose Bowl, a Final Four and a trip to Japan for the Packers. 

He died in 2014 from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, when I was 13.  

When I first started with the newspaper, everyone told me how proud he would be of me. That I was following in his footsteps. My Grandpa has a copy of my first cover story. He gave me the biggest hug as tears developed in his eyes when I gave it to him on Thanksgiving of 2021. It was Tom Sawyer’s last game and the huge win against Mankato.  

When I was first hired, I didn’t expect much of it. Just a pastime since I had always loved writing. My first story was a Men’s Basketball loss against Wayne State on January 29, 2021. Starting in the middle of COVID-19 wasn’t easy as I didn’t have in person interviews to begin developing relationships with athletes.  

Those relationships developed quickly through long hours of being at games, interviews, and lifts through also being a strength and conditioning intern.  

In the late fall of 2022, I became an editor due to the previous editor having to step down for health reasons. 

I was scared but knew I could do it. The team was small at the time but slowly grew.  

Mckenna: thank you for teaching me everything I know and for always having my back. You are the best editor in chief I could’ve asked for. You believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.  

Gabe, Sophie, Heidi, Joe, and Mo: I love you guys. You guys are my second family and even though sometimes I’m hard to deal with, our Monday nights have always been a highlight of my weeks.  

Doug and Tracy: You pushed me to be the best I could. Through endless opportunities, support, and letters of recommendation, I appreciate you two so much for the past two years. 

Kailey: You are going to be an amazing editor. I am always just a phone call away and I’m so excited to watch your ideas blossom and for you to make this sports section your own.  

Pronob and Kayla: I’m so proud of the progress that you two have made over the past year. You are amazing reporters, and I am so excited to continue reading your articles and watch your growth from afar. 

And finally, to the athletes, past and present: thank you for making time for interviews, the relationships we’ve built and putting up with pre, post and halftime interviews at games. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world, from the six hour drive to sit in the freezing cold in Bemidji for playoffs, having athletes cry in my arms after the Mankato game, and watching the celebrations after every single sport and watching our athlete’s love for sport on their face and in their words during interviews that I am lucky enough to be able to portray in my articles. 

I wouldn’t be the person I am without this newspaper. It has taught me so much about myself that I’ll forever cherish.  

This summer, I’ll be interning with the Minnesota Twins in Strength and Conditioning before heading to Graduate School for Kinesiology.  

Thank you to The Winonan and Athletics. 

And as always, Roll Warriors. 

Syerah.