Last month, the Times-News published a Big Story I wrote about sports facilities. My story explored a handful of local sports facility construction projects, some of which required voter approval to get underway. Those examples helped form a bigger picture about school facility funding, and the issues that arise when schools go to voters when they want to build or repair gyms, tracks, fields, etc.

The story really should have two bylines. As a sports reporter, school funding and ballot measures aren’t my areas of expertise, so I leaned heavily on past stories written by Times-News education reporter Julie Wootton-Greener.

Facility fragility: Schools have limited options to maintain athletic facilities

For the Times-News’ latest Sunday Big Story — which came out today, Feb. 25 — I wrote about sports at the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind.

I explored the evolution, dynamics and importance of ISDB athletics in the feature.

Athletics provide a sense of community at Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind

On Jan. 29, the College of Southern Idaho men’s basketball coach told me that two of his best players, Charles Jones Jr. and Danya Kingsby, were suspended indefinitely for a “violation of team rules.” That was all the coach would/could disclose.

I contacted some sources close to the team and discovered that the two players had been suspended for failing drug tests. My Times-News editors and I try to avoid using anonymous sources, but we agreed that my sources were credible enough to publish the drug test information without on-the-record confirmation.

Both players ultimately served two-game suspensions.

CSI’s Jones Jr., Kingsby suspended indefinitely

The College of Southern Idaho men’s basketball team is known for its fast-paced offense, but nobody expected this. On Dec. 1, CSI scored a record-setting 199 points against Planet Athlete Academy.

I explored that game in more depth, hoping to find out how the Golden Eagles were able to put up nearly 200 points in regulation.

For the Oct. 15 edition of the Times-News, I wrote a hefty feature (a “Big Story”, as we call it) about a group of soccer players at Canyon Ridge High School in Twin Falls. None of the 19 players on this varsity boys soccer team were white, and eight of them were refugees from Africa and Asia.

I focused on those eight players in the story. My main goals were to learn about their childhoods in refugee camps, their adjustments to America, their lifestyles in Twin Falls and how soccer fit in to their lives.

Here’s the link to the piece: Riverhawk refuge: Soccer provides outlet for Canyon Ridge refugee students

Alex Valentine (the sports editor at the Times-News) and I co-authored a beast of a feature on local high school dynasties. I won’t waste your time reading this intro. Read the actual story instead!

5 pillars of Idaho’s high school sports dynasties

With Father’s Day approaching, I set out to write a feature on at least one local father who coached his child/children. Derrik Brinkman, the head softball coach at Buhl High School, immediately stood out because he coached his twin daughters.

Until I began reporting, I didn’t realize how complicated his story was. Coaching his daughters was a small part of his parenting duties.

Double-play dad: Derrik Brinkman reflects on coaching family

Idaho horse racing took a big hit in 2015. In June, I explored the struggling industry from a local perspective.

Horse racing returns to Jerome amidst uncertain future