My column won an award!

I write a column for the Idaho Press-Tribune called the Front Porch. It has a chatty tone and contains the little news you would expect of a hometown newspaper, such as scholarship winners, class reunion notifications, and volunteer requests. It also includes the fun news that has no news value besides being interesting -- for instance, a man brought by some packets of seeds he'd found among his mothers things. They dated back to the 1970s, and he is going to plant them to see if they'll grow. He plans to check back in to give us an update.

I have also covered some small events, of the same sort, like when a local gym had a photo shoot with a few of its female members to show what "real women" look like, the sort who try to stay in shape but also enjoy cookies and milk with their kids now and then.

Even though I'm moving, I'm going to continue writing the Front Porch as a freelancer. The other news having to do with my column is it won an award! Third place at the Idaho Press Club awards for General Column. In the journalism contests I've been privy to, it's a custom that people only get awards if they deserve it. There may be a category with submissions, but if none of the submissions are any good, no one will get an award at all. There were several categories at the awards night with only a first place winner, or a first and second. That said, it actually means something that I got third place and it's pretty cool -- it means that at age 24, I'm an award-winning columnist!

Most of my columns are collections of "tidbits," short summaries, with commentary, about what happened. They are rarely over 300 words each, and a handful make up one column. For the contest, I submitted three columns that were just one massive tidbit. One such column (not one from the contest) is below so you can enjoy it and I can celebrate. It was headlined "Girl shines on 8th grade football team."

(This is the header to my column when it appears in print)

Emalie Wood wanted to play football.

She already played soccer, golf and basketball, but something about football appealed to her enough that even though her father, a soccer coach, tried to dissuade her, she joined the Middleton Middle School eighth grade boys football team at the start of the season.
And unlike the two other girls coach Bob Santi has had in his years coaching football, Emalie stuck with it to the end of the season, becoming a strong asset to the team and leading Bob to call her one of the best athletes — boy or girl — in the school.

She’s played kicker, defensive back, cornerback, defensive end and receiver; she wanted to try out the quarterback position, too, but there just wasn’t time in the season, Bob said.
It’s too bad our newspaper doesn’t cover eighth grade sports, because it would have been fun watching her trademark pink socks and long ponytail (it’s a penalty if you pull it, by the way) pop up in newsprint throughout the season alongside her No. 1 jersey.

I just had to ask Bob why she made it and those other two girls didn’t. He said part of it was because the other girls were talked into it, whereas Emalie had to talk others into letting her do it.

He also talked about his football team and the impressive boys who fill it, saying it is the best group of boys he has ever had the privilege to coach in regards to their grades, athleticism, morals and maturity.

From what he said, these boys respected her and had her back at all times.
In fact, Emalie was just like one of the guys, being smacked on the shoulder pads and helmet whenever she made an impressive play, sitting in the back of the bus and joking with her teammates on trips and greeting them in the hallway whenever they crossed paths during school.

Thanks to that last bit, of course, some of her girl friends asked her to introduce them to members of the team.

Speaking of her girl friends, she had a great group of friends that would support her at her games — even some that were away games — by cheering and waving a sign they had made especially for her.

The home crowd also got behind her; Bob said “she started out as an anomaly … and then she was still out for football, and then she was still out for football, and then people got used to it and kind of just climbed on her bandwagon.”

Her dad, Rorque Wood, recalled her first tackle, saying she was playing defensive end and the opposing team was on the 4-yard line. She tackled the ball carrier and her team got possession of the ball. He said that was her “I’m in the club” moment.

Perhaps that amount of support was another reason for her successful season. The team made it to the playoffs, by the way, and Bob said she was an integral part of that. Actually, in the playoff game itself, they were playing South Middle School and she executed a kickoff near the end of the first half that set the other team to starting on the 6-yard line. They won 14-0.

But maybe Emalie’s successful football season had more to do with herself.
“She’s pretty persistent, and she has a pretty strong will, and she has a good heart,” her coach said. He also praised her good attitude.

As for her father, when I talked with him over the phone, I could just hear his smile the entire time. Rorque recalled the moments in the stands where people would wonder who the girl was on the team, and he would get to say, “That’s my daughter!” He is, for good reason, proud of her.

He also said, and I quote: “Maybe I should have let her play (earlier).”

So what’s next? Will she be playing on the freshman football team? By all reports, she hasn’t quite made up her mind yet, but if you are watching next season and see a pair of pink socks, you’ll know who is wearing them and know to give her a loud cheer.

* Elizabeth’s Note: I didn’t get to interview Emalie for this, mainly because it was a surprise for her from her dad. Sorry about that, but I think it was a good reason. Surprise, Emalie! Good luck with basketball!