Preps Reporter: Opelika-Auburn (Ala.) News

The Opelika-Auburn (Ala.) News has an immediate opening for a preps/high school sports reporter.

This is a very important position to not only our sports staff, but entire paper, as we cover 21 very competitive high schools. Of course we are looking for someone who can not only write gamers, features, previews, notebooks, etc., but also someone who can handle the day-to-day online/social media responsibilities that come with the beat.

This job will also require some desking duties. ... We don't paginate/design the paper in house (we've got a consolidated editing center in Hickory, N.C.), but there are some residual responsibilities that are vital to our operation that are shared between myself, the Auburn University beat writer and the preps reporter.

There will also be opportunities to cover Auburn University football, as well as other AU athletic events when time and scheduling permit. But this is primarily a preps job.

We are a small staff, so it's "all hands on deck" at all times. However, your work will not go unnoticed. This is definitely a "get there from here" type job. We have a great track record of reporters moving on to bigger papers/beats after short stints here.

The Opelika-Auburn News was one of eight newspapers to win the APSE Grand Slam this past year (which is the second time in three years we've accomplished that feat). In 2011, we were a Triple Crown winner. So our work is being recognized nationally.

I'm looking to move very quickly on this hire ... so please get your stuff in ASAP.

Send resume, cover letter, three references and five clips to mszvetitz@oanow.com.

If anyone has questions, please email me there as well.

Thanks,
MIKE SZVETITZ
Sports Editor
Opelika-Auburn News

 

Kids: Do yourself (and your career) a favor and go work for Mike Szvetitz. I'm more of a reader than a writer on these postings, so that should tell you I'm serious.

 

Great opportunity for someone looking to break into the business. Mike's a well respected sports editor nationally, and is admired by his colleagues working throughout the Southeast. He's also a pretty cool guy.

High school coverage in the Auburn/Opelika area is strong with plenty of D-I prospects to discover before they become stars. And the ability to chip in on Auburn coverage periodically is a nice perk for padding the resume.

Don't hesitate to apply.

 

Izzy, Are you freakin kidding?

Mike always tried to muscle his way into the Tribune with HIS Football gamers on Friday coming out of Avon Park and Sebring. If you remember we had to cut several of your gamers to get his stuff in. That's why you bitched to me about it - remember?



Ok, you didn't and we were glad to have Mike's stuff every Friday just wanted to ahem - embellish a bit there and throw some good-natured ribbing your way. Yes Mike is great guy and that Gould kid isn't bad either.

With Mike's Highlands stuff, Tony's Hernando stuff along with Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas that was a wide range of coverage. And a helluva round of bylines back then who went on to do great things.

 

You are a baaaaad man whichever Mike Harris you are.

 

What happened to Jason?

 

Lol, Harris. Didn't realize you worked with MS during the same time we worked together.

Sports journalism = small world.

 

Other than that Mike's golf game needs work and he's got a pretty good list of O-A News alums that have moved on to really good jobs, I got nothing.

 

Jason's moving to Wisconsin... chasing his dream of being with his dream girl, who got a job in Wisconsin.
And Jason's would be a good catch on a lot of levels for any paper up there...

 

Is there a problem if you have a better golf game than the editor? Mine is probably worse but I was curious.

 

Yeah, the boss will think you are playing too much golf and not cranking out enough copy.

 

Wouldn't have to worry there. I am banned by Putt Putt.