By Pat Tintle
Sports Editor
A shy journalism and mass communication newbie entered the newsroom of The Bona Venture to edit his first story two years ago—a piece detailing the ins-and-outs of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
As a sophomore, I had never written a news story before. I was barely a JMC major at the time, having just declared my area of study about two months prior. And when I walked into the newsroom that night, I saw the colorful edits of BV editors emphasizing AP style and the harm of editorializing. Honestly, I barely knew what any of that meant.
But two years later, those first lessons have become the cornerstones of my writing, as is the case with anyone who desires to enter the world of journalism post graduation.
My time as sports editor at The BV has been a crucial learning experience in my college career. Looking back at that first story, I can see that the hours of editing and reporting have only turned me into a better writer. As I’m sure anyone who has graced the confines of The BV newsroom can say, the paper is a place to grow, fine-tune and experiment in anything related to journalism. And it is with the help of fellow editors and writers that this process happens.
Reflecting on my time in the basement of the Reilly Center, there are too many people to thank who have assisted my growth. First, the guy who gave me the job, Zach Waltz, was a model editor to observe. His writing ability and uncanny knowledge of anything sports related will serve him well as he wraps up his Bonaventure career next year.
I would also like to thank the two sporting dudes who have helped me through my time as sports editor: Ethan Kibbe and Nick Konotopskyj. Ethan is the epitome of writing with precision, while Nick’s angles (and ledes) are exactly what BV Sports is all about. As Ethan will continue his BV career as sports editor next semester, there is no doubt that the section, as well as the paper, will only improve in content and in style, as he will attempt (and surely succeed) in balancing his position as an editor with his role on the cross country team.
To all the staff writers who have contributed, in any way, to the sports section: thank you for all the hard work and late hours you had to endure to make a solid sports story. An editor would be nothing if he or she had nothing to edit (not that there were many edits to make in the first place).
Another individual deserving of thanks is future assistant sports editor Jonathan Sawyer. A relatively new face to The BV, Jonathan’s tennis beats have improved with every story he has written, and there is no doubt that his improvement will continue to flourish as he takes on a new role within the paper.
And last, but in no way, shape or form least, editor-in-chief Harrison Leone and managing editor Amelia Kibbe have been the two best upper management leaders a section editor could have.
Amelia will take her infinite knowledge of the English language to another level as she inherits the EIC role come the fall, and Harrison’s worldly knowledge has brought new ideas into the Reilly Center newsroom.
The BV is a place where journalists-to-be can make mistakes. But it is also a place where those mistakes can be corrected. The fun, team-driven atmosphere in RC 5 will be missed, but I plan to take my lessons into the real world post graduation. I’m sure I’ll find myself referring back to the late Wednesday nights more often than not.
Pat Tintle was the sports editor at The Bona Venture. His email is tintleph11@bonaventure.edu
