Sports provides plenty of fun for this summer intern

In between getting things ready to move back to the University of North Alabama and talking with my college adviser, I realized that my time as a summer intern at The Decatur Daily was quickly coming to an end.

When I dropped by UNA early last week to turn in all of the paperwork and some of the articles I had written, my adviser, Jim Martin, peered out from behind his computer, exchanging a friendly hello and offering me a seat in the process.

A short, gray-bearded man, Dr. Martin is one of those people who is often mistaken for one of those Santa Clauses from the local mall at Christmas time.

As I sat down, one of the first questions he asked was about what I had enjoyed most about my experience at The Daily. I thought for a few moments, but couldn’t give him a good answer, because honestly I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

Eventually, I asked if I could use the 50/50 lifeline, in hopes of a good chuckle. I got one indeed, and a loud one at that.

As for the answer I gave, well, let’s just say I named a majority of the events that I covered.

Since beginning my internship in May, I have had the pleasure of covering everything from youth baseball games to local NFL players like Taye Biddle giving back to their community. I even attended SEC media days. Although it would have be easy for me to say that getting to attend media days tops the list, I’m not sure that it would.

To me, an internship is not about what stories you get to cover or what events you get to attend — instead, it’s about what you learn and take with you after you leave. Everyone at The Daily and in the sports department has been nothing but helpful since I began three months ago, whether it was advice about jobs or simple things such coming up with story ideas.

Not only have I had the pleasure of working around such a great group of people, but I have established many great contacts as well. And to a college student who is about to enter the real world in a few months, that really means a lot.