These types of stories never get old. When Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett was carted off the field in September's season opener, football fans feared the worse.
His life seemed to be in jeopardy and the powerful 6-foot-4, 250-pound athlete seemed like he'd never walk again.
It only took approximately a month for Everett to start walking as part of his physical therapy regimen.
While reading about teams and games are the backbone of the sports section, sports television networks and Web sites, you don't have to be a professional or big-time Division I athlete to have a great story.
Take today's Prep Extra feature on Highland senior Jessica Deters, which sparked this column.
Documenting a story such as Deters' is a daunting task. When you come across a person who nearly died, fought through the recovery process and is still fighting through constant pain just to keep doing what they love -- in this case, it's running track -- it's pretty amazing.
People with stories such as hers, that come so close to death, are so fascinating. Being the curious journalist, there seems to be an endless supply of questions to ask these types of people.
Deters' story is similar to a story that ran in October about Monroe City softball player Jordan Hawker.
The Hannibal-LaGrange bound pitcher was thrown 200 feet away from where the Sport Utility Vehicle she was in finally stopped.
Ordinary people don't live to tell about those stories.
Telling tales like those are some of the most rewarding aspects of this job.
Palmyra coaching hires
When the Palmyra athletic department unveiled its new football (Jason Keilholz), girls softball (Joe Brandenburg) and girls basketball (Kent O'Laughlin) coaches on Tuesday, it was a very unique mass hire.
It's one of the few times where you can argue that each is a potential lead story if they were released on separate days.
Even though the Panthers football program fell short of making the playoffs for the first time since 2003, they return one of the most talented seniors-to-be in quarterback Jonathon Nutt.
The softball job is also an intriguing position with the Panthers seeking their third straight state softball championship. Any team with junior-to-be Taylor Baxter is a perennial favorite to win a state title.
Finally, after a one-year absence O'Laughlin returns to the area.
There's a slight chance The Quincy Herald-Whig might be staffing the first Palmyra vs. South Shelby girls basketball game this winter.
There might be a little storyline there.
-- mgoldberg@whig.com / 221-3367
