I'm Leaving Pickerington North Athletics... Sort Of.

The older I get, the more I find myself quoting Andy Bernard from The Office when he famously said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”

That’s how I feel about my time with Pickerington North Athletics.

When Athletic Director Colin Beemiller and Assistant Athletic Director Kelly Winter invited me to join their team following my coverage of the girls soccer team’s run to the state semifinal, I was elated to return to high school athletics. It was a full-circle moment, an opportunity to get back to something I truly loved after a messy departure from my previous employer, Columbus Academy.

Graduating from Ohio Dominican University with a degree in Sport Management and eventually finding myself telling the stories of the Pickerington North Panthers felt a little like destiny.

Maybe that’s cheesy, but it’s true.

Unfortunately, the Pickerington Local School District is facing financial challenges. With discretionary spending halted, difficult decisions have had to be made. As I shared in my letter to the athletic department, “I don’t want to be an unnecessary expense or distraction as you continue working to provide the best possible experience for your student-athletes.”

So, I’m stepping away from my role as the athletics photographer and social media manager.

But I’m not disappearing entirely.

Thanks to an agreement with the girls soccer program and its boosters, I’ll continue serving as part of the Panthers family by helping tell the story of a championship-caliber program that deserved far more attention from the local media than it received this past season.

To the girls basketball and softball programs, thank you for the kindness and hospitality you showed me this year. It was a privilege to document your seasons and watch both teams grow, compete, and push themselves to new heights.

I also want to thank every coach, athlete, parent, and supporter who welcomed me into the Pickerington North community. You made this year special.

I hope we get to collaborate again. Please comment below or email me; let’s work together!

While this chapter is coming to an end, I hope it’s not the last time I get to tell the stories of Panther student-athletes. Pickerington has some incredible young people doing incredible things, and I’ve always believed they deserve more recognition than they receive.

So this isn’t goodbye.

It’s just... see you at the soccer field.

As for what else is to come, stay tuned.