Introduction

So, I have decided to give this blog thing a try. I love writing. I get paid a little bit by a small newspaper to do so on a local angle.

I wanted to use this platform to branch out and write about some other stuff. But first, let me introduce myself.

My name is Troy Hyde. I have been a sports journalist for more than 10 years. After graduating from Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, I started my professional career at a weekly publication in Adel, Iowa. From there, I traveled to West Texas for a daily sports job in Big Spring, Texas.

I also spent a year in Popular Bluff, Missouri, before heading back to Iowa, where I was born and raised. I worked at a daily publication in Marshalltown, Iowa, for around 3 years. Before that, I was in Newton, Iowa for nearly 3 years.

And as life would have it, I returned to Newton after leaving Marshalltown. I have been in Newton ever since. I think my total number of years in Newton has reached 7 or 8 years.

The journalism world has certainly changed over the years. Our publication just recently went through some changes. Partly because of COVID-19. Partly because I think the business is trending that way. The company has transitioned from a 5-day a week paper to printing just twice a week. And they cut the entire staff's hours or pay to help get through the coronavirus pandemic.

I will get through it. I have been much less financially stable in my life. I thank my wife for getting me out of serious financial issues. She took over our finances after marriage and that was a smart decision.

Most of my work in the business has been with prep sports. It's what I think gives me the most satisfaction at this point in my life.

I have seen a lot of things as a sports journalist though. I have never covered an NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL game but I have covered NASCAR and IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway, a 7/8-mile track in Newton.

While working in Texas and Missouri, I was able to cover a few teams at the NJCAA tournament in Kansas. I have been to numerous Iowa and Iowa State football and basketball games, too.

I won't just stick to sports on this blog. I love movies and music and working out. I may talk about my wife and daughter. I will leave politics out of it. I don't like to mix that with writing. Just not that informed anyway.

I hope to gain some kind of following with this blog. The ultimate goal would be to have an audience that is dying to read another one. That may never happen. But here I am. Let's see how this goes.