Sports Journalism Institute

Chhun Sun

My decision to leave sports journalism involved a lot of late-night thinking, lengthy talks with colleagues and plenty of back-and-forth mind games with myself. But ultimately, I needed to leave the business.

It was my time.

In August 2008, fellow reporters and editors at The Salt Lake Tribune produced a grand farewell, one with unforgettable speeches and peach pies. I was torn about leaving — my 27-month stay included covering all the high schools in Utah and assisting at Jazz games, among other things.

But it was my time.

I intended to earn a master’s degree in … something. The plan was to return home, find work and save money for school. I told friends about the plan and their faces usually contorted into a sad look that suggested some doubt.

But somehow, I stumbled back into sports journalism. There was an opening for an education reporter at The Turlock Journal, a twice-a-week community newspaper near my hometown of Modesto, Calif. The editor hired me within just a few days. And soon after I started working, my editor assigned sports stories. I just couldn’t escape my past.

And later, she offered me the only sports position at the company.

I didn’t want to rush back into my old life. I spent weeks thinking about an answer and called former colleagues about returning to working late nights and writing on tight deadlines. But I once attended a high school football game in a small town with thousands of people watching. I saw the kids playing out of love. I went back to my desk to report on their passion and got jealous.

The rewards outweighed any doubt that I had for sports journalism.

I knew this time would come.

Chhun Sun is a sports reporter for the Turlock Journal in Turlock, Calif.