Finding My Gift Through Storytelling

For a long time, I wondered where my gift might be. The Bible says everyone has one, but going into my first year of high school, I had not quite discovered mine. I was not the fastest kid, and I certainly wasn’t built for the football field. At Gaffney High, that meant I was not headed for the spotlight as a Friday night football star. 

I wanted to belong to something bigger, but I had not yet found my place.

Then I walked into a classroom that would change my life. It was Mrs. Phyllis Curtis’ journalism class, and it felt like a door swinging wide open. Suddenly, I was no longer just another student trying to figure out where I belonged. I had found my voice. Journalism gave me the chance to do something meaningful, to capture moments that mattered, and to connect with people through their stories.

Becoming Sports Editor of the school newspaper put me right in the middle of the action. I was not on the field making tackles or on the court sinking jump shots, but I was still part of Gaffney High athletics. I was telling the stories of the players, the coaches, the wins, and the heartbreaks. For the first time, I realized storytelling could be just as powerful as playing the game itself.

That discovery shaped the path that followed. While attending Limestone College and studying Business, I became the Sports Editor of The Gaffney Ledger. It was there that I began to understand the weight of community journalism, the responsibility of telling stories with honesty and heart. Covering local games was never just about scores or stats. It was about capturing the pride of a small town, the traditions that bonded families, and the sense of identity that athletics gave to our community.

As my responsibilities grew, I stepped into the role of News Editor, and later I became Managing Editor/Sports Editor of a new paper, The Cherokee Chronicle. I loved being able to tell the stories of people in and around Gaffney and Cherokee County. Whether it was a Friday night under the lights at Gaffney High, a big hoops game at Blacksburg High, or many of the growing athletics programs at Limestone College, I was drawn to the human side of sports and community life.

Those years taught me something that has carried into every step of my career. Storytelling is not just about reporting facts. It is about shining a light on people, giving them a voice, and creating connections that last long after the story is read.

During my years with The Chronicle and beyond, I was fortunate to continue sharing those stories as the radio sideline reporter for Gaffney High football for more than two decades, giving fans a front-row experience of the games and bringing to life the athletes and coaches they followed so closely.

My career would take me in new directions that expanded my perspective and stretched my skills. I spent over a decade managing and marketing a large sports and entertainment center then went on to marketing and business development with Hollywood’s Productions, an experiential marketing agency. That work gave me the chance to be creative in new ways, helping brands tell their stories through immersive experiences that audiences could feel and remember. It reminded me again that at the core of every great campaign, there is always a story waiting to be told.

Eventually, I found my way back to two of my first loves: storytelling and Limestone College. First, I served as Director of Communications, and later I became the founding Vice President for the new Department of Communications and Marketing. In those roles, I had the honor of telling Limestone’s story. It was not just about promoting a college, it was about showing how Limestone opened doors for first generation students, celebrating a history that stretched back generations, sharing the individual journeys of students, and highlighting the impact Limestone had on the local community and across the region. I was especially proud to help highlight the success of Saints Athletics, which tied back to the very place where my own love for storytelling began.

Looking back, I can see how one high school class opened a door that changed everything. I may never have been fast enough to carry the football at Gaffney High, but I found a different way to be part of the story. 

And once I found my gift, I never let it go.

Beyond Mrs. Curtis, I was fortunate to have a number of mentors who shaped my love of storytelling, including Tommy Martin, Andy Solomon, Dennis Fowler, Fender Brown, and David Green. Each of them offered guidance, encouragement, and insight that helped me grow both as a writer and as a communicator.

Today, storytelling continues to shape how I approach my work and my life. It is more than a profession, it is a way of connecting, inspiring, and creating understanding. Stories remind us of where we have been, they give meaning to where we are, and they point us toward what is possible. 

My journey has proven to me that the right story, told with honesty and heart, has the power to open doors, change lives, and bring people together.