Where Has Effie Been? A Little Offseason Update.

Just a little SEC hockey!

If you've been wondering where I've been... well, the short answer is: everywhere except behind my laptop writing hockey articles.

The offseason has been a little different for me this year. After spending last season covering hockey and growing my love for sports writing, I've spent the summer stepping into a new role within the sport I love.

I applied on a whim with Alabama Men's Hockey D1 after covering the team for The Crimson White! Now, I can officially say I am the Director of Media for the team! Getting to take on that role has been one of the biggest highlights of my summer.

Instead of just covering the team from the outside, I'm now helping shape how the team is covered from the inside. This means coordinating photographers, graphic designers, content interns, planning social media coverage, and finding a way to tell the story of a program that's continuing to grow.

It has been a completely different perspective.

I'm getting to see everything that goes into creating the content that fans see on game days. From planning photo coverage to figuring out what social media trends can be turned into hockey content. It's definitely been a learning experience, but it's also reminded me why I love sports media in the first place.

And, of course, the offseason hasn't meant I've completely stepped away from writing.

I'm also getting ready to begin writing for the North American Hockey League (NAHL), which is an opportunity I am incredibly excited about. Getting the chance to expand my writing beyond college hockey and continue building experience in the hockey world is something I've been working toward for a while.

Between that, my work with Alabama hockey and continuing to write for The Crimson White, I've realized that the offseason doesn't really feel like an offseason when you're trying to build a career in sports media.

There are always new opportunities, new things to learn, and new ways to get involved.

That being said, I definitely miss actually sitting down and writing about games.

Once the season starts, this blog will be getting a lot busier. I'll be back to writing about hockey, breaking down plays, sharing my thoughts on the biggest moments around the sport and, hopefully, bringing some new perspectives along the way.

For now, consider this my little where have I been? update.

I've been behind the scenes, learning, working, and getting ready for another hockey season.

And I can't wait to start writing about it again.