I’ve always been a Northeast Philly gal.
Growing up in Millbrook, I played softball locally for Our Lady of Calvary, Nazareth Academy High School, Philadelphia Spirit and the Philly Flash. And as long as I can remember, I’ve always admired the passionate players of Northeast Philly’s sports scene.
Which is why, in 2007, when I was offered a position as sports editor of the Northeast Times, it was a dream come true.
I loved the idea of recognizing local athletes who have overcome obstacles to pursue their athletic dreams. I cherished every playoff and championship game that I had the opportunity to cover. I actually looked forward to getting up at 9 a.m. to cover the annual Thanksgiving Day football games.
But now, almost exactly five years after I covered my first sports assignment for the Times, I am leaving to pursue another opportunity. Next week, I will officially become executive editor of the Wire, a hyper local publication that circulates to more than 150,000 homes throughout South Jersey and is owned by Broad Street Media, which publishes the Northeast Times.
While I am ecstatic to tackle this opportunity, I know that I am going to miss the wonderful world of sports journalism. I’ll miss the sounds of pads crashing on the gridiron, the smell of infield dirt on the diamond . . . but most of all, I’ll miss all of you, the neighborhood athletes and coaches.
I want to thank the athletes throughout the Northeast for giving me such wonderful memories. Your hard work and dedication have been truly inspirational. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors, athletically and academically.
To all of the coaches that I’ve had the pleasure of working with — especially Frankford’s Juan Namnun, Fels’ Mark Heimerdinger, Judge’s John Dunlop and former North Catholic boss Jerry Brinidisi — thank you for your time, consideration, and, most of all, thank you for always putting your student athletes first and helping them succeed over the years. I will miss your passion and love for the game.
It has been a privilege to observe firsthand all of the talent Northeast Philly has to offer. Thank you for the wonderful memories. Thank you for making my dream job a reality for the past five years. ••
The Northeast Times has named Ed Morrone the new sports editor. He can be reached at emorrone@bsmphilly.com or 215–354–3035. Melissa Yerkov can be reached at myerkov@yahoo.com
