Austin Hemmingson

ESCANABA — Well, this goodbye came sooner than I hoped it would.

I’ve never been good at goodbyes, so it’s been tough to tell so many people around Delta County that I’ll be leaving my position as sports editor at the Daily Press today.

When I first started here two years ago, I expected I’d be here longer. I was hired in the fall of 2018 as a complete rookie so that Denny Grall could retire. Again.

Denny had come aboard as interim editor in the summer of 2018 after Mike Mattson left the position, and someone was once again needed so that Denny could make his annual winter trip to Florida to play golf, and hopefully retire for good this time.

I joked with many people when I took over that my goal was to keep him in retirement. I had no idea what the job had in store for me, but I was motivated and ready to take over.

Denny, as he always does, did a fantastic job of training me in the fourth months I had to learn from him, making me as prepared as I possibly could be to take over the sports editor position.

But I was still a rookie, only ever having worked as a part-time stringer for my hometown paper at the Alpena News before I landed here. Nearly my entire job experience before moving here was working on my dad’s dairy farm my whole life.

This job presented many new challenges, but I absolutely loved almost every aspect of it for the first year and a half. I thoroughly enjoyed covering local sporting events, taking photos and capturing memories that will last a lifetime for so many student-athletes and their parents.

Some of the best memories I’ve ever made came from simple interviews with players and coaches, and I was able to build so many relationships doing this job that I otherwise never would have had the opportunity to do so.

I had the pleasure of covering so many teams, but covering big stories was always the most fun. In just two years, I got to cover Rapid River winning its first-ever state title in 8-player football in 2018, and I got to be a part of Escanaba’s thrilling run to its second straight softball state title in 2019.

Those are just a few examples of the many memories I made. If I went into detail about all of them, I’d run out of room on this page or put you to sleep. Or both.

From a personal standpoint, I won two major writing awards in a short timespan. One of my columns bashing the Detroit Lions took third in the Associated Press contest, while another one I wrote about how sports are more than just a game took second in the Michigan Better Newspaper contest. I was humbled and honored by both.

So the decision to leave was a hard one. I wrestled with it for nearly three weeks.

It goes without being said, but the overall structure of what I do on a daily basis has changed tremendously since the coronavirus pandemic hit in mid-March. I went from being super busy and loving what I do, to not so busy and questioning if I truly enjoyed it anymore. The uncertainty and more sports such as football being called off got to me, and in my time going back home when I was partially laid off, I started to miss spending time with my family and old friends. I started to realize the value of that, and when you couple that with this job just not being as enjoyable anymore, I decided it was time to move back home.

It was a tough decision, but I know I’m making the right decision. Making the right decision isn’t always easy. … It wasn’t easy when I moved to this town two years ago not knowing a single person, but it was the right decision.

So is this.

In terms of my future, I’m looking at multiple avenues, but I’m specifically interested in getting my Commercial Drivers License and going into truck driving. I’ve always enjoyed operating equipment growing up on the farm, so before I moved here I was contemplating that. Then this job came along and the rest is history.

As I walk away, I’d just like to thank everyone who believed in me and made this experience possible.

For starters, I’d like to thank Denny for reaching out to me and giving me this opportunity. I’d also like to thank our editor Brian Rowell, and our publisher Corky DeRoeck for doing the same.

My staff has also been tremendous. As Denny has always said, John Vrancic is the most valuable employee we have here. I can’t begin to tell you how many times he’s covered something for me in a pinch or on a tight deadline, and I probably lost count of how many times I’ve had to ask for his guidance over the last couple years.

I’d also like to thank Justin St. Ours, who will be taking over for me for the time being. Justin came in as a rookie right before I took over, and he’s done a tremendous job of picking up on the nuances of this job. I believe he’s ready to take over and will continue to provide for our local readers as I step away.

Last but not least, I’d like to thank the local community for welcoming me with open arms and making these last two years so memorable and enjoyable. I will never forget my time here, and I won’t rule out a return to this area someday.

I know I’m making the right decision, but this goodbye came sooner than I hoped it would.