With a new year coming, what better time to reflect on my career.

I’ve worked in journalism for more than 12 years, 10 years at The Union Daily Times. I started as a staff writer in 1996, a year after graduating from USC Upstate. I left Union briefly, working for papers in Spartanburg and Beaufort, before returning to The Times as sports editor in 2001.

A special thanks to Graham Williams, Times editor, for giving me my break into the business. I’ve seen a lot of changes in my career.

Internet

When I graduated from Woodruff High School in 1991, the Internet was just getting started. When I graduated from Upstate in 1995, the Internet for the masses was born.

Some say that the Internet will be the death of newspapers. I believe there will always be an audience for the printed word, but the Internet has changed the way newspapers do business. Next week, we lose the Monday paper, but will fill in the coverage gap with the Internet.

Straight to film

When I came to Union, we sent pages to paper, pasted them up and shot them with a big camera, before burning the film to a plate and running it on the press. No more pica sticks and cutting blades. Today, we send straight to film. We’re no longer printed in Union, but Newberry.

Going digital

When I came to Union, our photographs were taken with 35 mm film. We had to develop the film and scan it into the computer. Now everything is digital, straight from the camera to the computer.

Change from news to sports

My first tour of duty in Union lasted just over two years. I probably was best remembered for People & Places features and Idle Chatter, a NASCAR column.

The sports column ended up being a preview of things to come, when I returned to Union a little more than two years later, I was the new sports editor.

The previous sports guy was Tracy Theo. He held the position for 13 years and no one could replace him, only continue his work. A big part of that continuation was the start of weekly football tabloids during the fall.

Sports

The last decade has seen a lot of changes when it comes to the Union County sports scene.

My biggest moment as editor was in 2002, when Union High won the state football championship. I also covered the 2001 football championship and two Union High state basketball championship games in 2000 and 2001. There have been a lot of successful teams, region champs and more, but those were the big games.

Numerous coaching changes have occurred, but the biggest change was consolidation. For years, I covered the Lockhart Red Devils and Jonesville Wildcats. Then suddenly in 2007, they were gone — consolidated with Union to form Union County High School. The Yellow Jackets lived on, only stronger.

The county pulling together as one transcended sports and should be the top story of the decade for Union County. Its people should be proud.

Lockhart and Jonesville still compete as middle schools. Union Christian Day School had no athletics back in 2001, but today has a viable program - competing for a volleyball state championship recently.

I’ve been blessed to work with a lot of good coaches and co-workers through the years. I’ve watched a lot of good games and many phenomenal athletes. All of that’s made the work worthwhile.

Closing

It’s said, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” The truth is that things never stay the same and always change.

I gave my life to Jesus Christ in 2003, married the love of my life, Jane, and built a home on family land in Laurens in 2005. I lost my father, Harvey, in 2008.

I take comfort in knowing that the more things change, my God remains the same. I’ve already won in life, not because of what I’ve done, but because Jesus is my Lord and Savior.