Dear ALLEN...

Interview Game Face Selfie, crooked glasses.

It was around the age of 16/17 that I discovered the desire to pursue a career in journalism, but the path to my current place in time as a soon-to-be holder of a BA (Hons) English degree did not come without its hiccups or snafus.

As a junior at Westfield High School, Journalism I was the first time I was exposed to the media and news writing style in an academic setting. As a whole, it was one of the more popular classes available as an English elective and I had always heard many good things about it so I felt lucky to have been given it on my schedule—even if not for all the right reasons at the start: mainly the ability to leave school for interviews and food. But I quickly found myself excited by the subject possibilities I could soon write about. Throughout the next two years I would go on to write a glowing review of The Devil Wears Prada’s album With Roots Above and Branches Below, a community feature on area band and friends Within the Ruins, who at the time were weeks away from releasing Creature on Victory Records, an in-school article about the growth of technology available in WHS classrooms where I interviewed former-WHS principal Mr Broderick, a collaborative article about Tori Hunter’s at-the-wall grab on Mother’s Day, and about the Texas Longhorns’ run through the SuperRegionals, among several other topics.

The class was taught by a familiar teacher, one, who with just two years prior, I had had an in-school disciplinary mix-up with [details withheld; sorry for all those who wish to pry]. So, naturally I found myself both excited and hesitant at the prospect of being in the same environment with this teacher again. But over the next two years, Mrs Lyn Roberts and I would go on to repair a fractured teacher-student relationship that had clearly gotten off on the wrong foot. Mrs Roberts would later write in my senior yearbook, "What a journey we have had". Her kind words and support would become highly influential in determining my future career.

In my senior year, I was recommended by Mrs Roberts to be an editor in the Journalism II section that oversaw newcomers to Journalism I. My final piece of writing that year was about Lebron James and his flee from Cleveland whilst determining his potential suitors.

In the end, I was wrong. He went to Miami, not Chicago.

Earlier in my senior year of high school when I was applying to various universities, I threw my guidance counsellor a curve ball, along with everyone else in the room. The conversation went something like this:

PULEO: When deciding whom to ask for recommendation letters you want to consider what degree path you have selected. [looks around the four or five students] For example, Allen would be best off asking Mr Kennedy, as he wants to pursue a degree in music.

ME: Um… I’m not going to school for music. I’m going to be a journalist.

PULEO & REST: Oh! Wow. I just assumed…

And so it began.

Why does this all matter?

I am on the verge of accepting a place at Salford Uni on their MA Journalism programme. Salford will prepare me for work in the UK news industry, as well give me the ability to sit the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) exam since they are an accredited university. I was offered my place this past Friday (27/06). After much deliberation and consideration over the last few months about which universities to apply for, Salford, in the end, was the only programme that I applied for because of the fantastic opportunities it offered—so as Bryce Vine says, “no chips, but I’m all in”.

The campus is located at the MediaCityUK facilities at Salford Quays and has placement access with various news outlets including the BBC, ITV, and Granada. I will be focusing solely on sports journalism in the second half of the year, but will also have the opportunity to delve into both television and radio. Many of my favourite journalists work across all three mediums, including Dan Le Batard, Pablo S. Torre, and Colin Cowherd.

This past Tuesday (24/06) I had my interview with the programme director and felt it went considerably well… considering I didn’t have to take the aptitude test due to printer problems. I had to answer two simple questions: 1) why do you want to come to Salford, and 2) who is your favourite journalist. Both were easy answers. I believe Salford’s MA offers me the best chance to be successful as a journalist because of its close proximity to the UK news industry at MediaCity. Its course design, as illustrated by Paul the director, will give me not only sports specific writing skills, but also a broad range of skills that can give me an advantage on my CV. I also have become too attached to Manchester to want to leave.

Pablo S. Torre was the answer to question two for his youthful writing nature, although I was a half second away from saying Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman who contributes to SI’s MMQ. Recently for ESPNFC’s blog, Torre wrote a 500+ word long run-on sentence. Qualities like this to go beyond the box are things I admire. Also, his exceptional knowledge of both sport and sociology are characteristics to envy and aspire to. Torre’s position as a panellist on Around the Horn is also something I enjoy, which bridges that gap of both sports writing and television.

“Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

Its days like Friday that make me realise just how far I have come. Where, Dear ALLEN, Thank you for your application to the University of Salford, I am very pleased to inform you that we will be offering you a Conditional place… triggers every emotion and memory. Where, “I am nothing but proud of you”, releases 23 years of hard work trying to earn it, trying to repay a sacrifice of a chance at a better life. I know full well that I have been granted one of the most unique of opportunities. As an adopted individual from Guatemala, I cannot possibly thank my adoptive parents enough for everything they’ve done to help get me to where I am. Had they not, my circumstances would be drastically different, polar-extremes. Both words of encouragement and of scorn directed me down the right path. They’ve always gone above and beyond. Whether it was early morning trips to the ice rink, long flights to Texas or Colorado, or taking me to various live athletic events, they’ve allowed sport to hold a special place in my life and my hopeful career path reflects that. I remember growing up and listening to stories of the late Kay Yow and Jim Valvano and recalling all the various lessons I learnt from them: “When life kicks you, let it kick you forward” and “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up”, hearing what Pete Carroll was like before USC and the NFL and the Super Bowl victory, or how Phil Ford’s impressive VO₂ test almost kept my mom and her colleagues from getting to the bar one afternoon.

Although my lack of knowledge of anatomy and biology kept me away from sports medicine, it opened up the avenue leading towards sports writing, where I had already always had interest in creative writing.

I was able to gain first hand experience as an Editorial Assistant in Sports at the Greensboro News & Record and it only furthered my need to be a part of the sports news industry. I thank Charlie Atkinson for his recommendation, for having the confidence that I was the guy for the job, and that I could handle the busiest of nights in high school sports on my own. Here, I can also say thank you to Rosemary Roberts, my ENG-219 Journalism professor at UNCG for taking us to the News & Record as a class, which led to that position. An extension can also be made to Dr Babb and ENG-230 where I learnt about profiles like those in The New Yorker and about op-eds. Kudos to Randy Schmitz for being a star interviewee, twice. His excitement and enthusiasm for his profession is something I want to see in my career.

My third year tutor, Nikolai Duffy, wrote my other recommendation letter and he was always positive about my application and about the things I had accomplished at ManMetUni—both on my dissertation and my poetry portfolio. I thank him for pushing me to be more specific in my subject matters so my arguments are evermore critical of the material.

I will take a quick moment to recognise my brother Tommy Gunn who has always pushed me as to get the best out of me whether in the classroom, in the gym, or on the ice because he has the belief there is a level I have yet to reach. I cannot have asked for a better older brother, even if I'm now about a 1/4 inch taller than he. He knows when to be firm, when to hold back, and where to give praise when due. Title it for me: time to get SWOL.

And finally a dual thank you to both the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and at Chapel Hill. UNCG gave me the platform necessary to find out about studying internationally and about ManMetUni. Without UNCG accepting me to their institution and for housing sticking me in the International House in my first year, who knows where I could have ended up. And to Chapel Hill… I’m not bitter, but there is now an added drive to want to be even better to show what they passed on because I have always been taught I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

Oh, and this means I get at minimum another year with the Manchester Metros Ice Hockey Club. We are looking for redemption in 2014/15 in Div1 North. And it also means many more naps to be had in the MacKinnon car on the way to Southampton matches.

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Edit note: This post would’ve been up on Friday night, but the internet in our neighbourhood has been down since the 24th, thanks Virgin Media, and is still currently down with no one available to come sort out the problem until Thursday. I feel I have been Stone Age living without WiFi and my data plan has been paying the price. Thank you Costa for letting me borrow you WiFi.

"Great moments..." -- Herb Brooks addressing his team before their 1980 Olympic Game against the Soviets.

Edit note: Misspelling of Kay Yow's name fixed from "Kate"; factual typo, Lebron went to Miami after The Decision. He left Cleveland.