A New Job: Sports Editor

My first real job was when I was 14. My brother and I had a paper route, delivering the New York Times and Newark News to residents of our small northern New Jersey village of Mendham.

Some 47 years later my career has come full circle. I am back in the newspaper business. On Jan. 1 I will officially become the sports editor of the Elk Grove Citizen. 

I have been a sportswriter for the Citizen since Dec. of 2007 (and have written this blog simultaneously for almost the same length of time).  But, last Friday Citizen sports editor Jon Gudel phoned me with news that he had accepted a job with the Governor's Office of Emergency Management as an information officer.

After a long discussion with Jon about the future of the sports pages in the Citizen and wanting to see good work continued, I sat down with publisher David Herburger. Last Tuesday we came to an agreement and I officially accepted the job on Wednesday.

For my colleagues and students at Luther Burbank High School, yes, I will still be teaching my Mass Media classes. But, many evenings will now be spent writing about our city's athletes and teams.

I petition all of you to send me tips, photos and ideas for stories at my email address, egsports@herburger. net. You can also leave me voicemails at 685-3945. Just ask for John.