Raley Reflections: Friday night lights to Saturday night sights is the step of a lifetime

Charm.

To me, charm is a very appropriate word to describe many things. According to Merriam-Webster, it is defined as “a trait that fascinates, allures or delights.”

To me, that sounds like something football provides.

On Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, I made a quick trip north from Auburn to make it out to Waldrop Stadium, which that night was the home of the Homewood Patriots taking on the Helena Huskies in a high school showdown. 

At that moment, it was a memorable time for me. It was the first high school football game that I had ever covered, adding to the list of positive memories I already had from experiencing the Friday night spectacle. 

Throughout the game, I began providing live updates on my Twitter page and had people from around the community engaging with me because of them, signifying the service I was doing as a sports journalist. It quickly became a regular occurrence, as I found out that high school game updates, especially in the central portion of Alabama, gain a lot of traction when it involves the right people.

I have since covered a number of high school games, gradually building my following along the way. What I remember from those nights though is not the followers I gained or the times I was up past midnight getting recap articles done. Instead, it’s the smiles I had along the way, the passion I saw from the fans and the appreciation that they had for someone putting true care into covering a widely untapped market. It was also the game-winning touchdowns, or the miraculous interceptions that widened my eyes. I felt it all.

Now I transfer my talents from the lights of Fridays to the sights of Saturdays, covering Auburn for you and breaking into a market that I’ve idolized for years. I’ve looked up to a lot of writers on a number of beats. Now, I’m officially joining them. 

I grew up coming to Auburn games my entire life. My family was about as passionate of Auburn fans as you could get. For years, I’ve known the ins and outs of campus and what makes the Plains a desirable place to be. To cover games though at right now a mere 23 years old? If you would have told me I’d be doing that at this age, I would have laughed.

I was involved in the Auburn Plainsman as a sports writer when I was a student at Auburn, but never got the joy of being in the press box because I was in the stands with the Auburn University Marching Band.

When I walk into the press box for the first time on Sept. 12 to cover the Southern Miss game, I will be honest in saying I will feel nervous but excited at the same time. Truthfully, this whole thing is a new step for me, but I will work as hard as I can to deliver the best content possible, and I hope that thousands of people can come to enjoy it.

Until I’m there at events in person, I myself will not know what’s coming until I write it. In essence, like you all, I will be experiencing it in the same way.

I work hard and pour my heart and soul into this job I dearly love. As I take this new step and journey, I hope you will see that as well.

I love being in this career. This though, is truly the step of a lifetime.

Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.