Every athlete has a story, and I look forward to telling them

Moving to a new place is never easy. You have to find a new place to get coffee, a new barber and pretty much everything else that you’ve gotten accustomed to.

Whenever this happens, I try to find a form of comfort somewhere, whatever that may be. Luckily, as a sports writer, my comfort is also my passion.

Monday started my first day as sports editor of the Daily American Republic.

The opportunity to cover sports in Poplar Bluff and Butler County is one I don’t take lightly. This area has a rich sports history — and one I’ve gotten to see first hand when I was younger.

One of my most notable sports memories was sitting in Mizzou Arena in 2005 when Poplar Bluff took down Vashon for the state championship. I remember seeing Tyler Hansbrough do what he does and to this day, he’s one of the best high school players I’ve ever seen. I was also a freshman at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau the next year when Ben Hansbrough did what he did and took down my alma mater in a performance I will never forget.

My sports writing career has taken me from my home state of Illinois to Kentucky where I spent several years. First in graduate school at Murray State, then with stops in Hopkinsville and Owensboro, covering some of the best sports the Bluegrass State had to offer.

While Poplar Bluff is just a trip down the interstate from my hometown in southern Illinois, I’ve gotten to experience athletes, coaches and fans from many different backgrounds.

I truly believe every person has a story and I will do everything I can to showcase the best of what this area has to offer.

Even though this year’s sports season is winding down and the postseason is right around the corner, we’ve already started working on plans for next year.

So if you have a suggestion on coffee, food or even a barber, feel free to drop me an email or say hello if you see me around town. I’m looking forward to telling all of your stories.

Tyler Dixon is the sports editor of the Daily American Republic. Contact him at tdixon@darnews.com.