Farewell, For Now…

I started writing October 26, 2011 to be exact. I had been writing game recaps and previews on a Wichita Thunder message board, and a few friends and fans encouraged me to write more. So, with their advice, I started my own blog, which is still visible to date, and began writing and posting interviews. I found early and often that simply asking someone to do an interview was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Knowing what I know now, I probably should have gone through the team’s media directors to secure these interviews, but I went rogue and put content on my own little blog. The only journalism experience I possessed at the time, was one year of journalism class my freshman year of high school.

Seven full hockey seasons later, here I sit. I started my own website and we won an award for the content we delivered to fans. I’ve interviewed current NHL players, coaches, general managers, many players, and I’ve even passed ranch dressing to a Stanley Cup Champion. All things I never thought I would’ve done as I sat in my room at my parents’ house as a young 24-year-old hockey fan. I’ve been able to cover a league meeting and award banquet. I’ve hosted too many podcasts for me to count, and even done a YouTube video to recap a day, while not wearing pants. I’ve been very blessed and fortunate to do these things, and to be able to do them with some of my best friends. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people, I’ve lost friends because of my career, and I’ve been able to repair a relationship because of it. I say all of this, not to brag, I can assure you of that.

The one thing I always go back to, and I’ve battled with over the last seven years is this; I am still a hockey fan at heart. No matter how unbiased I was supposed to be, I always wanted what was best for the Wichita Thunder or the New Jersey Devils. But, most of all, I wanted what was best for hockey. The sport is what I love more than anything. My first love was baseball, but nothing captivates me the way that hockey does. The speed, the skill, the athleticism, and the grit that goes with lacing them up every night is something I admire and find entertaining beyond any other sport. My love for sport and team though, at times, has been looked at as a negative for some. I’ve been critical of my own team and their players or coaches. Hell, I’ve even critiqued owners and the general manager, for whom I now have a wonderful working relationship with. The one thing I could never do as a writer, was be fake. I always wanted to tell my God’s honest opinion, whether it was right or wrong. That’s the only way I was raised.

My parents are old school, and I love that about them. My father, a stern disciplinarian and Marine with the heart of a lion from upstate New York. My mother, a caregiver with an edge from South ‘Jersey. I was raised to tell the truth or there would be consequences, even as an adult I worry that if I lie, my father will somehow pop around the corner and tell me he knows it’s not the truth. I note the characteristics of my parents, not because that is the only traits they have, but rather, because those are the ones that I carried with me in my journalistic career. I called it like I saw it, and I like to think, that helped me be successful.

With the evolution of social media and the ability to communicate with random strangers, it’s made this job incredibly easy to gain public opinion and the opinion of coaches, players, and staff. With that power, like any power, comes negatives. One thing I have promised myself, is that I was going to do things my way. I would not let others dictate how I progressed and directed my career path. While social media is a great tool for teams to use, it’s not the best tool if you don’t plan on taking criticism. I’ve learned that criticism doesn’t always go both ways however, and with the way I was raised, if you give it, you should be able to take it. I’ve never been one to back down, walk on egg shells, or change in order to make others feel better about themselves. The sports world is constantly about being analyzed and sometimes criticized, unfortunately, unlike social media, some people don’t evolve and adapt.

Having said all this, doing all this, for this many years, many of them uncompensated to any degree, while working a full-time job, wears on you. The daily grind plus late nights at the rink or on the laptop. Covering a merger, and yes, it was a merger, while on a flight back from Vegas. It all wears on you. I don’t regret never asking for compensation, and teams and even a league has helped tremendously to accommodate me, or my team, in any way they could. I am thankful to each and every general manager, coach, player, media director, or league official that has ever spared time, tickets, credentials, parking passes, and even money out of their own pocket, so that I could cover their team. I hope I did you all proud and it was worth your time, effort, and money.

I read that last paragraph and wonder where to go from here. But, deep down in my heart, I know. It’s time for me to step away from the crazy world of covering hockey, and reinvest myself into being a fan. That is something I’ve always been good at, and will always be good at. Being a journalist gives you a different set of eyes when looking at the game. It’s time for me to focus my eyes on what made me fall in love with the sport in the first place. The energy and atmosphere is second to none, and I look forward to being there for that, and not in a working capacity. I plan on taking my parents to more games, and buying concessions and laughing with them as we watch the team that has played in front of my eyes for over 25 years.

I’d be remiss to not thank a whole lot of people. First and foremost, my biggest fans, my Mom and Dad. They both got me into the game of hockey, and used to go to the old Wichita Wind games. Dad would often take me by himself on weeknight Thunder games, and Mom enjoyed tagging along for the weekend games. When I became a writer, no matter where I wrote, podcasted, or broadcasted from, they always acted like I was on a major website or network. They always made me feel like I was doing something big, and without that support, I wouldn’t have even made it this far.

I want to thank all the wonderful fans, who for some reason or another, actually read and listened to the things I had to say. You all made me feel like the things I put on paper or over your airways were accepted and appreciated, and for that I am forever grateful.

To all the coaches, general managers, players, and especially media directors, I may have had a media credential in my pocket, but your words and the time and effort you gave me, made everything I’ve done a pleasure and worth every second.

Lastly to my teammates, the people who have partnered up with me, and one in particular. Mike Finazzo, gave me my start writing in the “big time”. He took me from a local blogger to writing about an entire team. I will always be thankful to “The Godfather”. Jason Schawe, an O.G. at Minor League Hockey Report, your friendship, and the effort you put into covering sports I will always appreciate. To Barry, Rich, and all the writers at the Sin Bin, your efforts and your knowledge is something that no one can take away from you, thank you for allowing me to be teammates with you.

Who am I forgetting? Ah yes, my partner in crime, the side kick, the guy that kept me in line, and the one who always has my back, Matthew Harding. It hasn’t always been easy, and it hasn’t always been on the up and up, but no matter what we’ve done you’ve always been a leader, a source of inspiration, and a backbone that I’ve always needed by my side. You’ve put up with me for seven years, so I’ve finally decided to give you a break. I’m forever thankful for meeting you and the bond we’ve created. You are a true gentleman in the business and an even better friend. You will never fully understand the appreciation I have for everything you’ve done to better our friendship and our lives in this business. Thank you.

I’m not saying this is goodbye forever, but I am saying goodbye for now. I have tears in my eyes as I write this, but I know that this is what’s best for myself. I can never say thank you enough to those of you that have joined me on this journey. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be signing off now.

Zachary Courter, Hockey Journalist.