Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Thanksgiving week is the least productive seven-day stretch of the year.

I have no data to back that up and no idea if that claim holds any actually truth but it certainly seems that way doesn’t it?

A holiday known for big meals and afternoon naps doesn’t exactly lend itself to productivity.

It’s the leadup to Thanksgiving Thursday that takes the time.

There is the shopping, the cooking, the baking, the cleaning.

I’ve experienced it myself this week.

Over the past four days I had two tasks – help my wife prepare for Thanksgiving dinner and write a nice Thanksgiving day column.

So really only one thing to work on.

All week I sifted through ideas for an original Thanksgiving column, something that lacked the cliché of a ‘thankful for list’.

By Wednesday evening I had deleted the only draft and pretty much punted on posting a column on Thanksgiving.

Everyone is too busy on Thanksgiving to read the internet anyway right?

I’d gone 0-for-2 on being productive.

Sometime in the hours after Thanksgiving eve had given way to Thanksgiving morning I paused the television and sat up on the couch as a thought came to my mind.

I’m overthinking this thing.

In 2020, a year filled with gut punches, there has never been a better time to give thanks and I’ve never been given a more opportune time in 20 years as a writer to publish a column on everything I’m thankful for.

So, I immediately stood up and promptly went to the deep freeze and took out the pies I said I’d thaw out more than 12 hours earlier then predictably forgotten.

Then I went to my computer and started typing and just like that I was 2-for-2 on getting things done on Thanksgiving Day!

Here is what I came up with.

As a disclaimer I want to say I am blessed in a manner that exceeds anything I ever imagined and that includes having a rock star of a wife that lets me pursue my passion and do this job every day and a family that supports me.

I’ll spare you the personal sappiness because this column is what I’m thankful for as the Director of Content at Your Prep Sports.

First and foremost, I am thankful to be covering sports in 2020.

No one needs a reminder of what this year has been so I’ll just say I’ve never been happier to be watching sports and writing about local athletes and coaches than I have the past six months.

Next, I’m thankful for our team at Your Prep Sports.

You may know the names of the people writing the stories, taking the photos and talking on the podcasts but there are others behind the scenes working to make Your Prep Sports the best it can be.

Speaking of that I’m thankful for all the friends I’ve met in the media.

A few years ago I would have used a word phrase like media colleagues to describe the people I share press boxes with on Friday nights but many of those have become friends, even mentors to me over the past few years.

This part of the state is blessed with some of the best people in media I’ve ever met.

Speaking of friends and work I’m thankful for some of the special friendships I’ve made while at Your Prep Sports.

If you know Susan Harman or Jeff Yoder you are fortunate.

People don’t come any kinder than those two and I’ve been thankful to call both of them friends and co-workers.

What about our area coaches?

Coaching takes a ton of time, coaching during a global pandemic added even more hours.

Yet, my phone has buzzed constantly over the last few months with emails, texts and DMs from coaches thanking me for what I do.

Those gestures mean more to me than they will ever know especially since if you know how much time high school coaches sink into a season we all should be thanking them not the other way around.

I’m thankful for the area athletes that make my job so fun.

Again, I’ll spare the details but look at the results from state cross country, volleyball, swimming and football to see how many talented young people there are in the Your Prep Sports area.

It makes doing my job an absolute blast.

Finally I’m thankful for all of you.

I know, I know I said I was trying to AVOID the clichés but I really am thankful for every single person that reads our stories, shares our photos and supports what we do at Your Prep Sports.

If you’ve ever found me at a game you know I love to talk and that has been more difficult during COVID times which is hard because my favorite part of my job is meeting players, coaches and parents.

Going a few months without those interactions this spring made me more thankful for every short conversation or long visit I’ve had with parents, grandparents or just fans.

I could go on and on but it’s Thanksgiving and everyone has things to do so stop reading and go do something productive and don’t forget to be thankful!

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.