My Favourite Assignment

It's not secret to anyone who knows me that I am a very big hockey fan.  To go to my first Jet game at the MTS Centre I traveled seventeen hours by plane to get there. After I arrived I went straight to the rink.

For the last year and a half I have been studying journalism. My favourite part about journalism is going out and talking to people.

This past week I got to combine the two as I got to cover the Jets vs Oilers game, which included going into the dressing room after the game to interview players.
After watching the game in the press box I have to say that it's a lot more fan to watch the game in the stands. In the press box you're not allowed to cheer or boo or do any of the fun stuff you get to do in the crowd.

My favourite Jet just happens to be Jacob Trouba and I was hoping I'd get a chance to interview him after the game. When I finally got the chance to ask him a question, I froze up.

It was the first time I was nervous doing an interview since my first year in CreComm. One of the reporters before me had asked some of the questions I was going to ask so I was left scrounging to think of a new one.

I'm hoping what I came up with sounded at least half intelligent, but I'm not too sure.
I don't think I did much better with Mark Scheifele.

Speaking with another student who had gone through the same thing in class made me feel a little bit better. During his first time in the locker room he said he was so nervous he didn't even ask a single question.

The only time I was that nervous was when Paul Maurice was having his press conference after the game. I thought of asking him a question, but chickened out.

Sometimes you have to be careful of what you ask for and for me this was one of those cases.
After conducting countless of interviews and having no problem coming up with questions I was at a loss.

I tried to get some good advice before the game. For a number of years now I have been
corresponding with Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Molinari has been recognised by the Hockey Hall of Fame for his work covering the NHL as a print journalist.

He had lots of good advice.

He recommended that I try to avoid scrums and try to get players one-on-one. He closed with this:

"I'm guessing that you realize it is important that you observe the proper decorum in the press box. No cheering, no booing, no nothing above a conversational tone. No seeking autographs in the locker room, either. Take your cues from how the regulars comport themselves. And have fun."

Thanks Dave. I did. I made a few minor mistakes but I think I learned from them. If I ever get the chance again I'll know what to do.

Next time, I won't be nervous.

cheers

rymr