APSE Conference spotlights industry trends and honors a legend

Sports journalism’s biggest minds will gather this week in Minneapolis as the Associated Press Sports Editors hosts their annual conference this weekend. The conference will feature three days of career development, newsroom strategy, and industry insight designed to prepare the next generation of journalists for the evolving media landscape.

The general conference sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including how to capitalize on the coverage of women’s sports, exercise understanding about LGBTQ+ sports reporting, present data reporting for sports, adapt to the evolution of high school sports coverage, and more.

“It’s a combination of professional development opportunities and just a way to socialize with people in the industry,” said former APSE president Naila-Jean Meyers. “It’s a great networking event.” 

Meyers, also senior assistant sports editor at the Minnesota Star Tribune, stated that the conference workshops for rising journalists have evolved as the media landscape has changed. There was more focus on reporting and writing, but now social media, audio, and video sessions are being implemented.

Two banquets will also take place, the Red Smith luncheon, where Washington Post Sports Columnist Thomas Boswell will be honored, and the awards banquet for the winners of the APSE student contest.

APSE Conference Coordinator and former Minnesota Star Tribune Assistant Managing Editor for Sports, Glen Crevier, will organize the conference for the last time before retiring from his APSE responsibilities. 

“I got involved in leadership and, you know, I tried to make as many friends and mentor as many people as I could,” Crevier said. “So, if there’s any legacy, it's just that I hope that the people I came into contact with learn something from me, as I certainly learned from them.”

Crevier will end his 37-year APSE career, which started in 1988. He was president from 2005-2006 and has been the conference coordinator since 2017.

The former sports editor acknowledged that he gets a lot done, from working with the hotels to obtain room blocks, meals, IT and AV equipment, to making a registration page.

“Learning event planning was difficult. I kind of have it down now,” Crevier said. “It’s an intense time the last two months before the conference begins, but you know, it’s always rewarding to see that.”

A 1975 graduate of Hiram College in Ohio, Crevier worked as a reporter and columnist at outlets including the Ithaca Journal, Arizona Daily Star and Sacramento Union.

He rose through the ranks, becoming a sports editor at The News Tribune, Salem Statesman Journal, and the Press Democrat. Crevier retired from the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2018 after a 20-year tenure.

Meyers had the privilege of working with Crevier, especially on the conferences. She vocalized his impact and said the organization will miss his continuous attention to detail.

“I think there’s so much that he does for us that we don’t even realize, especially once the conference begins,” Meyers said. “He’s making deals. He’s working behind the scenes to get things fixed, you know, coordinating AV and things like that, and we couldn’t do big events without him.”

Crevier said he gave it his all in this position as he prepares for retirement and will miss being a part of APSE.

“I’m going to miss all the people,” Crevier said. “I made great friends in this organization.”