Getting to the sports editor position at the Royal Purple was not an easy journey.

In fact, it took a lot longer than I hoped for. But I earned it by striving day in and day out to get here.

I’ve known I wanted to do something associated with writing since my senior year at Ozaukee High School. I began writing for their school paper in my last semester.

It didn’t take me long to declare a journalism major at UW-W. I was interested in writing for the RP my freshman year, but I needed money, and I was too inexperienced in journalism to earn an editorial spot.

I got a job announcing men’s soccer games to add to my already low bank account from the second I attended my first-ever college class.

A year later, I discovered the Royal Purple actually offers a class to write here, and I did not hesitate to enroll in it. I instantly began writing for the sports section.

Earning the sports editor position was my dream job at UW-Whitewater ever since I started writing for the paper. I wrote countless articles as a sophomore, and the sports editor at that time, Justin St. Peter, urged me to apply to an editorial position. Justin and I attended the same high school together, so we were quite familiar working with each other.

I eventually applied and was offered a spot on the editorial staff, but I was offered Assistant News Editor.

Now, I get it. When applying for a job you love, you don’t always get what you want. I enjoy writing about anything but for me nothing compares to sports.

I respectably turned down the offer and instead returned as a sports staff reporter my junior year. May I remind you, only the editorial staff gets paid here.

But money is not everything for me. Sometimes, it’s more about the stories than anything else. I remember talking to former Warhawk women’s basketball player Andrea Meinert about her unbelievable journey from tearing her ACL to playing basketball once again and helping the team win the WIAC title. That’s one moment I will never forget writing about.

My junior year was coming to a close, so I decided to give the editorial spot another shot.

This time, I got lucky.

I’m currently in my second and final semester being the sports editor here. Trust me, it’s not an easy task. At the end of the day, I remember I got this spot by busting my tail every day and saying no to my doubts.

Why is being a sports journalist fun? For me, there’s several reasons.

Writing makes me happy. Not sure why, but it does.

I get the opportunity to go to live events and talk to athletes and coaches. Not everyone does that, and it’s fun.

If you work hard enough, you get the opportunity to talk to some famous athletes. Football alumnus Jake Kumerow now plays for the Packers, and it was awesome to converse with him about what it took to finally achieve his dream. I’m forever grateful for getting the chance to talk with a Warhawk legend.

I even decided to take my skills to an internship opportunity with WISN 12 in Milwaukee last fall and got the chance to cover several Bucks games. I even got real journalist treatment by being credentialed, getting free food and sitting in the press box with the likes of Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

I also interviewed head coach Mike Budenholzer, and players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe on several occasions. Those moments were amazing.

If you want to achieve one of your dream jobs, keep striving. The process sucks at times, but your time will eventually come.

Now I’m here.