Nevada Press Association The best in Nevada journalism since 1924
NPA Member Spotlight features a series of monthly interviews with NPA members from the newsrooms and business operations of newspapers throughout the state. The interviews are conducted by Kim Palchikoff, an award-winning journalist who has written for the Las Vegas Sun, New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times and other publications. You may know her from the mental health columns she distributes for free publication in NPA-member papers. This is the third in the series.
Jim Krajewski, sports reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal since 1989
How did you get into sports journalism and how long have you been covering sports? Do you have a favorite sport?
I always loved sports and reading about sports. I took a journalism class in college, did pretty well and got some encouragement there. I started as part-time clerk at the Reno Gazette Journal. I watched and learned and practiced writing on the job until I slowly got better at it. I mostly cover high school and college sports.
What do you like most about covering sports?
I’ve always liked covering high-profile games. The celebrity golf tournament is always fun to cover because the celebrities are usually fairly relaxed and like to joke around with spectators and reporters. And the Edgewood Tahoe golf course is a beautiful course. I like boxing and combat sports, running and other racing events. I also like talking with high school athletes.
I tend to like whichever sport is in season at the moment. Now that is football.
What changes have you seen over the years in the high school football concussion issue?
In high school there is currently a huge emphasis on player safety in football. The helmets are supposed to be safer. There is a concussion protocol. Players must sit out at least one game and a week of practice if they suffer a head injury in a game or practice, no matter how severe. High school coaches are trained to be more aware of player safety.
What is the big news in high school sports in Northern Nevada these days?
The newest thing recently is the re -alignment of the large high school teams that do not perform well. Teams that are performing at the bottom of the 4A Class standings will be moved to the 3A, which is mainly composed of smaller schools like Fallon, Fernley, Truckee, etc. It will be on a sport by sport basis, starting in Fall 2020.
It is supposed to help those teams that are struggling in the large-school class that are not competitive. I think it will be a good thing eventually but the smaller schools don’t want to compete against the larger schools, and the larger schools don’t like all the added travel involved in going to the rural schools.
What does a typical day/week look like?
Overall I try to read a lot about sports in magazines and online to assist me with asking better questions and writing better stories, and so I know what is going on. I start each morning checking email and social media to see if there is any urgent or breaking sports news that requires my attention.
I try to have my week somewhat sketched out ahead of time and set up interviews ahead, although news pops up frequently and I often have to change my schedule. I let the photographers know ahead of time where I am going and try to coordinate with their schedules. Some people expect me to know about everything that happens in the world of sports, locally, nationally and globally.
Who are your favorite athletes?
My favorite professional athlete is Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry because he is so energetic, entertaining and is a phenomenal athlete. I also love the New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady because he knows how to win and perform at a high level year after year.
