A Good Sport
by Bernie Fratto
August 2004

“Sports build character,
and they also reveal it”
 ~ John Wooden
 

“Growing up in the ‘UP’,” Sam Eggleston reflected, “I was involved in sports from kindergarten to high school and beyond.” “But, we lost… a lot!”

That fact however, didn’t diminish Sam Eggleston’s love for sports. In fact it made it grow even stronger. The fact is, “winning isn’t everything,” he stated. And the truth is, he’s right. And Sam should know… During his 4 years in High School he competed in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He even played rugby at Northern Michigan University.

It was during this time that he became fascinated with the world of sport, and he wasn’t necessarily focused on the championship teams and why they won, but rather the individual athletes and why they played. He knew that participation in sports provided great enjoyment, and his interest gravitated to the makeup of these individual athletes and why they personally enjoyed sports.

As you read Sam’s work on a consistent basis you begin to ascertain a distinct angle in every story. But, the contour is the same. Behind every athlete there resides a name, a face, and a heart that beats to the drum of very personal motivations and affections.

Putting a human face on the highly commercialized, over-saturated world of sport is something that very few writers do. Sam Eggleston does it very well.

Born in Escanaba, and after attending Mid-Peninsula High School and matriculating as a Northern Michigan Wildcat, Sam’s love for sports landed him several gigs writing for Daily newspapers in the Upper Peninsula.

His odyssey continued to Kenai, Alaska and from December 2000, to July 2001, Sam worked in Alaska before arriving in Novi during late Summer 2001.

Currently, Sam’s official title is Sportswriter for the Novi News and the Northville Record, but given the omnipresence of his name and byline as they grace these sports pages, you get the impression he basically does it all. He’s getting ready to cover 8 fall sports and in addition to his writing responsibilities, he’s involved in photography, layout, and making sure the paper looks good and is pleasing to the eye.

To accomplish this, deadlines become critical. For the Novi News to arrive in our mailboxes, and on the newsstands by Thursday morning, as we’ve all grown accustomed to, the paper has to essentially be completed by midnight on Monday. Deadlines are a way of life for those in the business, and deadlines are a very serious part of the process. So, as part of Sam’s gig, he has to perform under pressure just like the athletes he writes about.

It’s not uncommon to see Sam at multiple sporting events involving different sports, for both genders, indoor and outdoor, and even individual competition as well as team sports. It’s all in a week’s…or sometimes even day’s work!

Clearly, it’s a labor of love, and it’s his life. “Sports mirror the world,” Sam stated. “It provides a common ground for everyone.” Sam feels strongly about the role sports play in our society as a galvanizing force, and greatly respects the diversity he sees in the Athletic departments in Novi and Northville.

And, it’s not just locally either. “Sports unite people around the world,” he reminded. “Look at the Olympics, or World Cup soccer.” “It also gives people a chance to be a part of something that’s bigger than them, and this is something you take with you for your entire life.”

While Sam routinely comments that our area has been blessed with athletes that abound with talent, he again finds himself more interested in “the fact that kids truly enjoy sports, and why they enjoy them.”

Sam Eggleston has found a home in Novi, and he’s also found a niche. Novi boasts some of the more ardent sports fans you’ll find anywhere. People from out of town comment regularly on the spirit, the energy, and the atmosphere at Wildcat Football games. Sam Eggleston is there.

People in neighboring communities have commented on how well the Novi faithful travel to cheer their team during events that are away. Sam Eggleston is there.

People have commented on Novi’s individual athletes and their dedication to the classroom as well as the playing field. Once again, Sam Eggleston has been there.

Sam Eggleston has covered the essence of Novi athletics with grace and aplomb and has truly developed a kindred spirit with the City, the Schools, the teams, the coaches and players, and of course the fans.

“Sports promote healthy attitudes,” Sam reflected… “and sports help to create a vision for the world.” “And, behind every athlete is an individual, a person that is a part of this world, and sports help all of us to connect,” Sam stated. “The City of Novi provides the kind of diversity that is prevalent in the world.” But, in addition to reporting the final score, the highlights, and the individual performances, Sam takes us up close and personal and introduces to the person first, and the athlete second.

Each week Sam Eggleston takes us on a journey into the world of sports. And in Sam’s world, everyone is a winner.