A tip of the cap to Jason Skoda
Jason Skoda, a longtime sports writer-turned Williams Field High School teacher, announced he had signed a contract to become the East Valley correspondent for AZPreps365.com.
This is a move that brings me joy for many reasons. First, having Jason back covering high school sports is good for Arizona.
Secondly, I attribute everything I know to him.
When I was a junior at Arizona State I was preparing to complete my internship for credit. I reached out to numerous outlets, including the AIA, and never heard anything back. Finally, I emailed the East Valley Tribune, where Jason was the sports director at the time.
He gave me a chance to work under him, an opportunity I will never forget.
My writing was rough at first, as expected. Jason had to reel me in as I submitted a 1,500-word story that had to fit on one page in the newspaper. For those that don’t know, that was way too long.
That story was about a pair of freshman phenom distance runners at Chandler High School. One of them was Morgan Foster, who went on to become one of the top distance runners ever in Arizona.
I covered football games for Jason. That stat book I carry around that seems to amaze everyone for some reason – that came from Jason. The relationships I built with coaches like Mike Peterson, Shaun Aguano, Mike Fell, Norris Vaughan, etc. Those came from Jason.
He helped me get established in the Arizona high school sports media scene before I even knew the type of role I would play longterm. It gave me confidence to perform the same job he did when I ultimately took over a few years after he left.
He helped take the VarsityXtra brand to a new level. It went dormant for a few years, then with his ideas in mind, I attempted to revive it. I bounced ideas off of him during my time at the Tribune – all six years. Everything I have been able to accomplish, from the awards to the writing style to the steps I’ve taken in my career the last year or so, I owe to Jason.
So, Jason, congratulations and welcome back. We’re all lucky to have you.
A hypothetical for the AIA
Jason’s hiring got me thinking. The AIA is the governing body of high school sports in Arizona. Sure, they hand out punishments at times, but ultimately their goal is to protect the schools in their association.
Media works hand-in-hand with them, but can also be critical when necessary.
The one thing I notice with the AIA is the lack of coverage on controversial topics. I get it, the AZPreps365 media site bringing attention to a recruiting scandal, a hazing scandal or unfortunate passing of players would probably raise some eyebrows. But I think that’s where the AIA has an opportunity to do something unique.
Separate admin and media.
What I mean by that is more simple than it sounds. There is the AIA and then there is AZPreps365. They’re under the same umbrella, but make AZPreps365 a separate entity.
Here’s how I see it working.
The governing board, position leaders and Seth Polansky handle admin-related items – credentials included. Jose Garcia, a longtime sports writer, is elevated into an executive editor role with writers like Jason under him.
Jose and his team approach coverage like other media entities, albeit with earlier access – a win. Recruiting scandal? AZPreps365 has a story with quotes from AIA admin. You see where I’m going with this?
It’s not impossible to do. Every professional team has a media department that reports on the good and bad. They’re separate but under the same umbrella. The AIA could absolutely do the same and build credibility while doing it.
As it stands, AZPreps365 is more of a PR website – which is what the AIA told some of the aforementioned media outlets they come off as, putting them at risk of not receiving credentials. I digress.
Games, stories of triumph and success are all that is posted. Again, that’s great. But with Cronkite students inundating the site with stories every fall and spring, it might be good to accept some of the stories that are a little more off the beaten path.
The AIA admins aren’t afraid of criticism. They get blamed for everything – remember COVID? Many don’t realize the hit the AIA took that year financially. In fact, the most profitable arm of the AIA was the AZPreps365 website, which is loaded to the brim with content by Cronkite students for free, allowing ad money to be made.
I’ve been critical plenty of times, including on the radio show produced by the AIA. Some in the AIA offices will see this and probably say I shouldn’t be credentialed anymore.
But the truth of the matter is this: the AIA can set a new precedent for media access and transparency in high school sports journalism in Arizona. Whether or not they decide to take some of my ideas, who knows. I would bet it’s a slim chance.
I’ll end with this. Let’s take a hard look at who does things the right way in media. Let’s tip our caps to Jason Skoda for returning to his first love. Let’s criticize when necessary, but do so in a compassionate way that sparks healthy conversation rather than Twitter fights. If we can do that, everyone will benefit.
