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You don’t know Jack

| Jackson Buhler
There’s an old saying “love what you do.” For all my life, I have loved sports. Starting at 5 years old, I watched ESPN non-stop. I would come home after school, turn on SportsCenter and watch it until I fell asleep. There was always one reporter I admired the most in those days. His name was Sal Paolantonio. He would always end every segment, in his distinct Philadelphia accent, by saying “Sal Paolantonio, ESPN.”

My parents, Lynn and Alan, always said that someday they would see me on ESPN as a sports reporter and just like Sal, I would say “Jackson Buhler, ESPN.”
Well, mom and dad, I did it, I am a sports reporter.
Growing up in South Florida in the early 2000s, I was in a literal hot bed for high school, collegiate and professional sports. My parents would take me to games of every team, including the Miami Hurricanes, Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat and Florida Panthers. Through watching all the teams and players, I gained an affinity for statistics and journalism. I would go to my parents room every Sunday morning, grab the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and immediately take the sports page to get caught up with what happened the day before, reading every single column and story like it was my favorite novel. As I transitioned to high school, writing became a passion of mine, and once I went off to college at Louisiana State University, I found the perfect blend of writing and sports in their sports information department. That time at LSU led me to the University of West Florida where I became a graduate assistant and later worked full-time in athletic communications, learning as much as I could about the Northwest Florida sports scene.
I have lived in Northwest Florida for over five years now, and it has truly changed my life. I met my beautiful wife, Becca, here, and we have an amazing three-year old Labradoodle named Mandy. I have made countless meaningful friendships with some of the best sports icons in the area, including Bill Vilona and Paul Chestnutt.
Now, I’m the new sports reporter in the area, which is an amazing feeling as I get to follow in their footsteps. I get to be what I admired and loved so much as a kid. Now, I’m the person on the sidelines with a camera and notepad in my hand, relaying the stories that you want to know about. Hopefully, there’s a kid out there somewhere that wants to work in sports, and I can be the one that shows them a path. I am super excited to highlight all the athletic talent that we have in the area, whether it be youth sports, high school, college athletes, or even those who are currently excelling in the professional ranks.
Becca and I love trying new coffee shops, places to walk Mandy and finding local markets, so if you have any suggestions of the best coffee shop in the Crestview area, please let me know. If you have any stories you would like to tell, please send them my way and if you see me in the meantime, say hello and let’s continue telling the history of Crestview sports together.

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