Signing off, Belle DeRosa

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Off the Reels is the result of many influences. First, sports are a huge part of my life—as an athlete and a fan. Along with my passion for sports, I developed a passion for sports journalism and telling athletes' stories. My high school does not offer journalism courses, but that didn't stop me. And, in the heat of the pandemic, the community felt disconnected from sports. Off the Reels was born in January 2021. 

As the hockey team's statistician and manager, I started the blog with the intent of making it a "hockey blog." I never expected it to reach thousands of people. As the blog grew, I met with the SHS Athletic Department in hopes of expanding beyond hockey. Partnering with the athletic department was life-changing. My blogs were published independently but also on the athletic website. And, best of all, it allowed many more athletes to tell their stories. 

I played tennis for most of my life, started on varsity for four years, and was a captain my senior year. But no one saw all of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into my tennis career. When I started interviewing athletes, I realized how many more stories were sitting behind the highlight reels. I guess you could say they were "off the reels." Behind every game and match, there's a team full of individual players with a million different stories about why they love their sports so much and where they derive their motivation from. I wanted to give athletes the platform to tell these stories. I wanted the community to feel connected to sports again, knowing the athletes that make up their favorite teams. I wanted to show people the impact of sports on our lives. 

I never imagined Off the Reels to grow as much as it did, and I'm beyond blessed for all of the support I've received. Thank you to the athletes, the SHS Athletic Department, and everyone who read it. As I sign off, I'm heading to Texas Christian University to continue my education. 

But this is not the end of Off the Reels! SHS junior Danielle Stinson is taking over the blog. I'm excited to pass the torch to someone who shares my love of sports and sports journalism, and I can't wait to see where the blog goes from here! Check out the new Off the Reels with Danielle....
Instagram: @borooffthereels
Twitter: @offthereelsblog


Signing off, BD💙


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