By Andrew Zuhosky
Well, here we are. It’s been three years for me here at the paper and seven years at Youngstown State University, but it’s time. This is the final Press Box Perspective written by me.
After seven years at YSU, I am now only nine days away from becoming a YSU alumnus. It’s been a long seven years as a student, and at times, it’s been a hard road to get to where I am this morning and perhaps more importantly, where I want to be.
Over these seven years, I’ve learned many valuable lessons from professors, teachers and friends. I’ve also made more than a few colleagues along this road.
Today, I write my final Press Box Perspective, not to talk sports, but rather to say thanks to the people who helped me and supported me over the years. So, here we go.
First and foremost, I wish to thank my parents and family. Without the support of my family, I would not be here right now. I wouldn’t be talking to you today.
While on the subject of family, I’d also like to thank my brother and sister-in-law. Last year, I had the good fortune of becoming a brother-in-law.
This year, I’ll have the good fortune of becoming an uncle. Congratulations, Jon and Allison!
Second, I wish to thank all of my friends, from high school and here at YSU. Without my friends, I wouldn’t have people in my corner to inspire me and keep me going.
Thirdly, I wish to thank everyone in the YSU Athletics Department, specifically those in YSU’s Sports Information Department for authorizing and organizing my interviews with athletes in my days as sports reporter.
I’ll always remember the time when I was called upon to work home soccer matches during the 2015 season. I enjoyed working those matches. I love soccer, so getting to cover one of my favorite sports was a major thrill for me.
In addition, some of those fall weekends were pretty full for me in 2015, working soccer matches on Friday night and Sunday afternoon, as well as the football games on Saturday. One weekend, I worked a soccer match and football game on the same day.
I spent all afternoon and evening on campus that Saturday.
Speaking of football, I want to thank everyone here at the paper for giving me the opportunity to run our Twitter account during home football games over the three years that I’ve been here on the staff.
Fittingly for me, my run as the Twitter host for The Jambar on YSU home game days ended with an incredible postseason run.
To this day, I still don’t know how I was able to hold my excitement in during the quarterfinal game last year, but by George, I did it.
That game, as well as the entirety of the season in 2016, ranks high as one of the greatest sports moments I’ve ever experienced.
I wish to thank my colleagues here at the paper for being great co-workers with me. If I could buy you all steak dinners, I would.
I’d also like to thank former editor-in-chief Liam Bouquet and Mary Beth Earnhardt for approving my story idea to interview ESPN’s Heather Dinich for an online exclusive regarding the state of college football after the inaugural College Football Playoff during my first year at the paper.
That was the interview I was most nervous for, but despite my nervousness, it turned out great.
Finally, and most importantly, I’d like to thank Dr. Earnhardt for inspiring me to start working for The Jambar back in 2014.
It started out by emailing her and asking Mary Beth Earnhardt to write a mock letter of recommendation for a class assignment.
Time passed and she replied to my email while letting me know that there was a vacancy in the sports department and that she thought I would be perfect for the role. I jumped at the opportunity, three years later, here I am, writing my final piece.
So, that’s that. Thank you to all of the readers of this column, as well as all of the readers of the paper.
I don’t know where I’m going to end up next, but one thing’s for certain: I will always be proud of everything I have accomplished here. I will always be proud to be a YSU Penguin.
Thank you.
Good night.
