Meet Jeff Kirik of the Erie Times-News and GoErie.com

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Satisfy Jeff Kirik

I am the sports activities editor for the Erie Periods-Information and Gannett’s Western Pennsylvania Area. I attended Northern Illinois University and attained a journalism diploma in December 1989. I landed my very first total-time work as a sports reporter in early 1990 with the New Castle Information. In 1995, the Erie Periods-News hired me as a sports activities reporter and duplicate editor. In addition to those roles, I served as the outside editor and assistant athletics editor ahead of getting the Periods-Information athletics editor in 2012.

I was born in the Cleveland spot, but my spouse and children moved to Irwin, Westmoreland County, when I was a toddler. My dad was later on employed by the aviation division of John Deere, and we moved to Moline, Illinois, right before I arrived at the initially quality. I grew up in Moline, just one of the Quad Cities, and attended Alleman High University, a Catholic university in Rock Island, Illinois. I was a potent protection on the soccer group, which arrived at the condition semifinals my senior 12 months.

Throughout my childhood, my loved ones would regularly journey to Pennsylvania, in which we would check out prolonged household southeast of Pittsburgh. All through all those quite a few visits, I created a really like for western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh. I also grew to become a large admirer of the Steelers and Pirates.

Why I became a journalist

I am a lifelong athletics supporter who grew up in an aviation relatives. My father and older brother are pilots — my brother Steve was an Air Drive fighter pilot and now flies for United Airways. My father and brother developed a Thorp T-18 plane in our basement all through my childhood. That was a neat issue to explain to buddies. The dilemma was I hated traveling, so I rarely bucked a rivet on that aircraft.

In its place, I was obsessed with sporting activities at an early age. I keep in mind often ready on my entrance porch for our newspaper carrier to carry our afternoon edition of the Day by day Dispatch down the road. Occasionally I would race to meet him just so I could get to the sports activities web page a very little earlier. When I was a senior in superior faculty and experienced no idea what to analyze in faculty, my mother instructed that I incorporate my really like of sports activities and my knack for English classes to develop into a athletics writer.

Tale proceeds

Through my first week on the Northern Illinois campus, I joined the employees of the university student newspaper, The Northern Star. I spent four many years — and a lot of extended evenings — doing the job as a sporting activities reporter, sports editor and, finally, the controlling editor. In that makeshift newsroom, I uncovered so numerous journalistic lessons that I nevertheless utilize now.

What I like very best about my job

I know it is cliche, but what I enjoy most about this position is the men and women — meeting persons, studying about their lives and relaying their stories to the community. The Erie spot has so numerous fascinating people with so lots of fascinating stories to convey to. It can be a complicated but fulfilling position to write about spot people and their impression on their neighbors, their educational institutions and their communities.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered many of us to forego close get hold of with our fellow citizens. I appear forward to partaking with them in the same way we did prior to the pandemic.

A tale I labored on that has experienced a lasting impression on me

It truly is not one particular tale, but many stories. One of my favorite items about my job in excess of the past 27 many years has been telling the stories of folks who triumph over adversity. I’m so impressed by somebody who is in a position to endure cancer and other significant illnesses or tragedies and shift ahead. Megan Mingarelle, James Conner and Ian Malesiewski are a few unforgettable types.

We’ve instructed a lot of stories about athletes and other men and women who confronted dark situations with their wellbeing but persevered and continued to make an impact on their groups and communities.

What is the largest obstacle I experience?

A sporting activities editor’s career is seemingly by no means finished, so time administration and everyday living equilibrium can become tricky difficulties. Weekends are always the busiest times for sporting activities, so journalists often give up weekend time with their spouses and little ones. That has been the largest obstacle for me in the course of my 3 decades of journalism.

What I like to do when I’m not operating

I adore to expend to time with Patty, my wife of 27 a long time, and our four little ones, Mary, Jacob, Grace and Paula. Activity nights, movie evenings or time in the outdoor are generally our most memorable moments. When I’m not with my household, I like to fish, hunt and attend sporting events of all forms. When I retire, I hope to spend a large amount of time coaching long term grandkids’ athletics groups.

Favored function or Erie-location custom

I’m not sure if I would characterize it as an party or tradition, but the full Presque Isle region is a correct treasure. I adore bass fishing in the quite a few bays and coves of Presque Isle Condition Park, and my youngsters cherish any excursion to the beach front, especially on Father’s Working day with their grandfather.

At the entrance of Presque Isle, Waldameer Park was a continuous for our youngsters even though they were being developing up, from the kiddie rides to Wacky Shack and ultimately the Ravine Flyer. Of training course, the kids’ faces lit up and they cheered any time we would announce a trip to Sara’s Restaurant for a hotdog or a peanut butter shake.

Why journalism matters

Communities will need neighborhood newspapers to document their histories, maintain persons in power accountable and explain to the inspiring tales of the people today who stay there. I have been happy to be in a position to help in that work for practically 3 a long time with the Situations-Information and GoErie.com.

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Make contact with Jeff Kirik at [email protected]. Comply with him on Twitter @ETNkirik.

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This short article originally appeared on Erie Occasions-News: Fulfill Jeff Kirik of the Erie Times-News and GoErie.com