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

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Satisfy Jeff Kirik

I’m the sporting activities editor for the Erie Situations-News and Gannett’s Western Pennsylvania Region. I attended Northern Illinois College and attained a journalism diploma in December 1989. I landed my to start with comprehensive-time work as a sports reporter in early 1990 with the New Castle News. In 1995, the Erie Situations-Information hired me as a sports activities reporter and duplicate editor. In addition to those people roles, I served as the outdoor editor and assistant sporting activities editor just before becoming the Moments-News sporting activities editor in 2012.

I was born in the Cleveland spot, but my family 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, prior to I attained the 1st grade. I grew up in Moline, a single of the Quad Cities, and attended Alleman Higher University, a Catholic college in Rock Island, Illinois. I was a potent safety on the soccer group, which achieved the point out semifinals my senior 12 months.

Through my childhood, my spouse and children would routinely vacation to Pennsylvania, exactly where we would take a look at prolonged family members southeast of Pittsburgh. For the duration of people several visits, I designed a enjoy for western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh. I also became a large admirer of the Steelers and Pirates.

Why I grew to become a journalist

I am a lifelong sports activities enthusiast who grew up in an aviation relatives. My father and older brother are pilots — my brother Steve was an Air Force fighter pilot and now flies for United Airways. My father and brother crafted a Thorp T-18 plane in our basement through my childhood. That was a great matter to explain to good friends. The trouble was I hated flying, so I not often bucked a rivet on that aircraft.

Alternatively, I was obsessed with sports activities at an early age. I bear in mind frequently waiting on my front porch for our newspaper provider to bring our afternoon version of the Day-to-day Dispatch down the avenue. In some cases I would race to meet him just so I could get to the athletics web page a little earlier. When I was a senior in substantial faculty and had no thought what to study in faculty, my mom suggested that I mix my love of sports activities and my knack for English lessons to turn into a sports writer.

Story proceeds

All through my initial 7 days on the Northern Illinois campus, I joined the workers of the university student newspaper, The Northern Star. I invested 4 many years — and many extensive nights — working as a sporting activities reporter, athletics editor and, sooner or later, the controlling editor. In that makeshift newsroom, I acquired so many journalistic lessons that I still apply currently.

What I like best about my task

I know it truly is cliche, but what I appreciate most about this work is the individuals — assembly individuals, finding out about their lives and relaying their tales to the community. The Erie area has so a lot of attention-grabbing persons with so several interesting stories to tell. It truly is a difficult but fulfilling work to write about space citizens and their impression on their neighbors, their colleges and their communities.

Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered several of us to forego shut contact with our fellow citizens. I seem ahead to engaging with them in the identical way we did prior to the pandemic.

A tale I worked on that has experienced a long lasting influence on me

It’s not a person tale, but many stories. A single of my preferred factors about my occupation about the earlier 27 several years has been telling the tales of individuals who triumph over adversity. I’m so inspired by an individual who is able to survive most cancers and other significant health problems or tragedies and transfer forward. Megan Mingarelle, James Conner and Ian Malesiewski are a couple of unforgettable ones.

We’ve told lots of stories about athletes and other people who faced darkish times with their health and fitness but persevered and continued to make an influence on their teams and communities.

What is the most important obstacle I confront?

A sports activities editor’s job is seemingly never ever finished, so time administration and lifetime harmony can turn out to be difficult problems. Weekends are often the busiest periods for sports activities, so journalists often give up weekend time with their spouses and small children. That has been the major challenge for me during my a few a long time of journalism.

What I like to do when I’m not operating

I adore to devote to time with Patty, my wife of 27 decades, and our 4 small children, Mary, Jacob, Grace and Paula. Sport evenings, movie evenings or time in the outside are normally our most unforgettable moments. When I’m not with my spouse and children, I enjoy to fish, hunt and go to sporting functions of all sorts. When I retire, I hope to commit a lot of time coaching long term grandkids’ athletics teams.

Preferred celebration or Erie-region tradition

I’m not guaranteed if I would characterize it as an function or custom, but the overall Presque Isle location is a correct treasure. I adore bass fishing in the several bays and coves of Presque Isle Point out Park, and my small children cherish any trip to the beach front, specially on Father’s Working day with their grandfather.

At the entrance of Presque Isle, Waldameer Park was a frequent for our children though they were being rising up, from the kiddie rides to Wacky Shack and finally the Ravine Flyer. Of program, the kids’ faces lit up and they cheered any time we would announce a journey to Sara’s Cafe for a hotdog or a peanut butter shake.

Why journalism issues

Communities want regional newspapers to doc their histories, keep people today in electric power accountable and notify the inspiring stories of the folks who live there. I’ve been very pleased to be ready to help in that work for almost 3 decades with the Times-News and GoErie.com.

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Speak to Jeff Kirik at [email protected]. Adhere to him on Twitter @ETNkirik.

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This report originally appeared on Erie Moments-Information: Meet up with Jeff Kirik of the Erie Occasions-Information and GoErie.com