In sports term you might call this the bottom of the ninth, the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, the last event of the meet for me.
Five years ago, I came to the Park Record all ready to tackle all the sports news this town had to offer. As a Salt Lake City native, I had always had a special fascination with Park City and couldn’t wait to be a part of it. At first, it was a steep learning curve. I was a bit of a deer-in -headlights as I tried to learn the subtle nuances of stuff like curling and doubles luge. But eventually, it all started to click and make sense and I settled into one of the best learning experiences of my life.
Sure there were challenges and sacrifices. The long hours and late nights and time spent away from my friends and family wasn’t always my favorite, but I had to keep reminding myself that I was getting paid to watch sports. That’s not a bad gig, when you think about it.
But about half way along my path, I met somebody that had as much passion for sports as I did, but in a totally different way. Andrew, my eventual fiancé, was at the University of Utah Medical school preparing himself to pursue a career in rehab medicine, with dreams of helping the newly disabled be able to play sports once again. I think it’s our shared passion that keeps us going, even among long-hours and demanding schedules. And now, the time has come for him to start his residency and make his dreams a reality and start a whole new adventure in a new community. And fingers crossed that I can find a new job in this economy, I’m going on that adventure with him.
Its time to say goodbye to The Park Record, but beyond that, to the ever-amazing Park City. Over the years, I have made countless friends in this town that I have come to cherish. From high school athletes to supportive parents to elite-level athletes. I think the most memorable part of my experiences has been the relationships and the close-knit community feel that Park City offers. I have been reminded all week of what a supportive town I cover as I received countless emails from coaches, administrators and parents wishing me good luck and blessings in my future. I want to thank everyone in the community for readership, their interviews, the photo and information submissions and the list goes on and on. I am so thankful to all of you who have made my journey a little easier and extremely enjoyable.
And that extends all the way to the county line. The gratitude and kind words of the folks in Kamas and Coalville kept me going through many a long prep sports season. And the smiles on the faces of young athletes not used to getting the limelight of the newspaper was reward in itself.
I am also thankful for the best small-town newspaper job a sports writer could ever ask for. During my tenure I have been able to cover countless state championships, elite level World Cups, and the women’s ski jumpers battle for gender equity. In just five short years, I have had experiences that some big-city reporters could only hope to receive.
All in all it’s been the ride of my life, and one that I hate to see end, but I will always have my memories and the friends and I hope that one day I can return to the town that I have come to love.
During my last week, our publisher, Andy Bernhard, told me to enjoy the adventure. And that has stuck in my mind. In this town of transplants, we all know how overwhelming an impending move can be especially in the midst of this crazy economy, but I plan to stop and enjoy the ride and reflect on all the blessings this town and this job have given me over the years.
Thank you, Park City and Summit County! For this sports reporter, you hit a home run!
Fondly,
Adia Waldburger
Park Record Sports Editor
2004-2009