They say first impressions never have a second chance.
I’ve been staring at my laptop screen for about half an hour trying to make mine, all while summing up who I am in about 600 words.
Like many of you, I hate talking about myself. But I suppose the easiest thing to do is just tell you how it is, which, for better or for worse, is how I try to operate as a journalist.
I’ve spent just under nine years reporting on Southern Miss athletics and high school sports, first as a student and later as a professional. However, my first job out of college featured me working at a daily newspaper in the heart of Iowa before my previous home of Hattiesburg, Miss., came calling. Over the last five years, I’ve served as the sports editor of a weekly newspaper, and during my tenure in that role, I have learned the value of telling stories that truly connect with the community.
In a city like Gainesville, which features one of the most prominent schools and cities to represent the SEC, my hope is to tell stories that connect with the community but also stories that serve it. If I can bring you stories that make you care, break hard news, and hopefully make you laugh on occasion, then I know I’ve done my job right.
You’ll learn that I love to try and tell stories from a different perspective and platform. Some of my favorite stories in the last year or so featured me not only writing, but also filming myself training with Southern Miss’ strength coaches to showcase just how one workout looks for student athletes in their respective sports. As someone who works out occasionally, burning nearly 1,000 calories in less than an hour was a near-perilous decision for earning a story.
Later that same year, I also shadowed the Southern Miss women’s basketball coach for one week as she juggled having to coach and receive chemotherapy. My friend Joye Lee-McNelis sadly passed away this summer, but her story lives on as it showcases not only having passion for one’s craft, but also genuine perseverance.
In my role at the Gainesville Sun, I hope that I can bring you stories of this caliber, or at least try. You’ll find me working primarily as the Gators’ men’s basketball writer, along with football, baseball, or wherever else a story can be found.
As a native of New Orleans and a now former Mississippian, I can assure you I understand the magnitude of the SEC and how its member schools, including the University of Florida, are at the forefront of changing and dictating the landscape of collegiate sports. I also want to quickly point out that my heritage and background have forged me into being a food-obsessed journalist, so please send me recommendations on your favorite spots in town. Fair warning that the majority of my conversations involve cooking and food.
I’ll have work cut out for me, knowing that I’ll be covering a school that has the capabilities of winning a national championship in every sport, but I look forward to the challenge.
Reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at aabadie@gannett.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. You can also find him on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter or on Instagram @andrewabadie_sports.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Meet Andrew Abadie, the Gainesville Sun’s new ‘food-obsessed’ Florida Gators beat writer
Reporting by Andrew Abadie, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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