The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Dear Editor,

I feel it is best that I confess to all your readers out there, especially coaches, parents of Big Sandy athletes and the athletes themselves that I am not and never have been a professional sportswriter. I grew up in an era when they did not even have girls’ sports teams, at least not in the small schools I attended and I wasn’t even a cheer leader, the best I can say is I was a member of the drill team that performed at home game half-times and that’s it for my own personal experience.

I admit right up front that before writing that first volleyball report I had to ask Coach McKenney to translate the stats terminology as I did not know the difference between a “dig” and an “ace”. She graciously spent a good half hour or more on the phone explaining the terminology and what to watch for in a game and even allowed me to come watch a practice this week.

That covers the volleyball scene so let’s talk football. Obviously if they didn’t have girls’ teams for the standard girls sport it’s a no brainer that I never played football. However, during my 77-year-old tenure on earth I can say that I have watched three sons, four grandsons and one great-grandson play football. Oh, and my husband reminded me that NFL football player Corey Hall attended my daycare/pre-school. Now that should give me a little bit of savvy in that area. Right? I have the same background in Basketball as Football. Oh, wait did I mention I took a basketball class in college because it was the only PE. Credit that fit my schedule.

So, how did someone with no real sports background and lacking a journalism degree end up being the sportswriter for the Mountaineer. Because no one else wanted to do it and I have never learned to say no. Having confessed all my sports writing limitations it is my hope that you will have as much patience as I have limitations and assume that I have good intentions.

Carolyn Mosier