Scott Froehlich’s Last Will & Testament

I am not one to write about myself or insert my personal life into my articles. Using the word “I” feels taboo to me, even on my Facebook posts. However, since it is time to pen my last will and testament, it is time to let the “I’s” have it.

Writing this article for The Eagle, as managing editor no less, would have seemed like a pipe dream a few years ago. Before attending Utah State University Eastern, I was in a rut with respect to career aspirations and studying journalism was the last thing on my mind. 

The closest I came to legitimate writing was blogging for my favorite hockey team, the Detroit Red Wings. If it weren’t for my wife Jessica convincing me that I was skilled enough, writing would remain a hobby. Her suggestion to go to school in Price, Utah, changed my outlook on the future, helping me take writing seriously. 

My path to joining The Eagle was unique, if not a tad fluky. Prior to moving to Price, Jess and I traveled to Price to scout apartments and prepare for spring semester 2017. Before one of my trips, I reached out to professor Susan Polster, adviser for the journalism/communication department.  

After telling of my experiences with writing, I explained my intention to become a sports writer.  Next thing I knew, I was asked to cover the women’s basketball team during its Thanksgiving tournament, before I had even registered for the class! It seemed like a test of sorts, but I was too excited to feel any kind of pressure.

The weekend of the tournament was an eye-opener for me. Interviewing the Eagles’ players and head coach Chelsey Warburton was surreal. I did my best to act like a pseudo-professional, even asking for a press pass before the games.

Afterward, I sent my article to Polster and let her look it over and, to my surprise, she was impressed. It was at that moment, I felt like a true writer and the prospect of becoming a journalist seemed tangible. When spring came, I earned a spot on the staff as a sports writer and the rest, as they say, is history.

My roles on the staff changed quickly. In the fall, I became editor-in-chief and was named managing editor the following spring. Such a shift in responsibilities gave me whiplash at first, but had it not been for my fellow staff, the transition could have been disastrous. 

I owe a great deal of my skills, as a writer, to Polster. She challenged me to take chances with my work and get out of my comfort zone. Not only did she provide a wealth of insight and advice, she kept me on my toes with AP-style writing. Otherwise, my articles would continue to bleed with ink.

I would be amiss if I did not mention my son Adam, who spent his first year as the newspaper’s unofficial mascot. It may not have seemed like it at the time, but I will miss chasing him around the room, while also editing pages. He and Jess were always there to support me and I look forward to the next step in our lives this summer.

I’d also like to thank the staff and editors I worked with these past two years. It has been a pleasure to work with them and learn the idiosyncrasies each brought to the newsroom. Their talent and work ethic more than warranted the paper’s record-breaking awards in both 2017 and 2018. I know that under the new editors, the staff will continue to flourish.

Though I am heading to Logan to finish my college career, Price and USUE will always have a special place in my heart.