Thanks for the memories, Issaquah

Sportswriter Shaun Scott leaves Sound Publishing after 59 months on the job.

By Shaun Scott • July 25, 2019 2:46 pm
Sportswriter Shaun Scott interviews an Issaquah Eagles girls soccer player Sarah Kim during the 2018 season. Photo courtesy of Don Borin/Stop Action Photography
Sportswriter Shaun Scott interviews an Issaquah Eagles girls soccer player Sarah Kim during the 2018 season. Photo courtesy of Don Borin/Stop Action Photography

Aug. 22, 2014 was my first day on the job as the sportswriter for the Issaquah Reporter.

A little more than 59 months later, my time at Sound Publishing is coming to a close. I have accepted a social media coordinator position in the Puget Sound region. My final day at the four newspapers I work for (Snoqualmie Valley Record, Issaquah Reporter, Bellevue Reporter and Mercer Island Reporter) will be on Aug. 2.

Covering sports in the Issaquah area for the past five years was everything I thought it would be and more. In my initial column in 2014, I stated, “My philosophy as a journalist is to delve beyond the box scores, stats and the standings. The key to telling a great story is to discover the smallest of details and present them in a manner where readers feel like they’re in the midst of the action.”

I hope I didn’t let you (readers) down!

While I covered myriad stellar teams throughout my tenure writing sports in Issaquah, the final scores of games aren’t what I will remember the most. What I cherish most from my time covering your town is the relationships I’ve built within the sports community.

One of the individuals I enjoyed visiting with the most was longtime Eagles girls/boys soccer announcer Bill Foote. Foote, who resides in Klahanie, has announced games on a volunteer basis since 2007. That kind of dedication exemplifies the sports community as a whole. I’m sure I will remain in contact with longtime Issaquah Eagles baseball head coach Rob Reese for decades to come. Reese, a staunch disciplinarian with a gregarious personality, is the kind of coach I would had loved to play for. It doesn’t surprise me in the least bit his baseball program is one of the top programs in the state year in and year out.

When it comes to venues, few can match the atmosphere at Issaquah High School’s Gary Moore Stadium or the Issaquah High School gymnasium. The gym is spacious and boisterous, especially during rivalry contests against the Skyline Spartans. The backdrop of the green forest to go along with the bright lights overhead at soccer, football and lacrosse contests at Gary Moore Stadium created an electric atmosphere.

Thank you, Issaquah, for allowing me to tell your stories!

Shaun Scott can be reached at shaun101st@hotmail.com