Photo by Melissa Scott
By Ryan Lazo
Ever since I was a child, I knew that being a journalist was the job for me. I didn’t really care if it was in the print field or the video side of delivering news. All I was sure about was that I wanted to be the source that people go to and trust to receive their news.
After three years of studying Journalism and Mass Communication, I know that I have chosen the right field. There is nothing that makes me happier even when I am at my busiest.
Sitting on press row at the Reilly Center and other opposing arenas this season gives one an exciting perspective of the game. You can feel the momentum change, feel the excitement of the fans, the collective gasps and cheers from those around while hearing the coaches trying to outsmart one another.
As a journalist you get to know each player on a personal level, having daily conversations with each that turn into interviews. Hearing the story of junior Chris Johnson and his two-year respite from the game of basketball before recording his first game action this past season.
Talking to sophomore Charlon Kloof describing the path he took to finally earning a Division I scholarship, a path that took him from Suriname to North Carolina to The Netherlands and finally Olean, N.Y.
He talked about his determination and how it never wavered. He said that stats don’t mean anything to him as long as his team wins the game.
These are stories that only a journalist hears and then he must be able to turn it into an article that tells others what you heard.
I’ve followed the St. Bonaventure Bonnies all season as the beat reporter, living through their roller-coaster ride of a season up close and personal.
Sure there were times that I was extremely busy or felt overwhelmed, but if anything, this year has solidified my belief that I am in the right major.
So next season I will be right back in that familiar spot on press row, watching Kloof go over a screen to pop a three, watch Youssou Ndoye incite delirium over another slam and tell their stories to those who want to hear them.
