On November 21st, 2004, I received an email from R. Leuma Schwenke with a subject line that read, “TBS Editorship.” In that email, “Reg” told me that due to family needs and other professional demands, he was stepping down as the Editor & Publisher of Total Blue Sports. He concluded with a statement that would forever change my life: “I have recommended you as the new editor of TBS.”
Now, more than two years later, I find myself in a similar situation. Midway through law school and with my wife expecting our second child, I need to wrest a larger portion of my attention away from BYU sports.
I approached the other managing partners at TBS earlier this year about reducing my role. They were gracious enough too work with me in my situation. I will continue as Editor-in-Chief of Total Blue Sports Magazine. I also hope to be involved in business development at TBS.
Matt Hodge will take over as the Editor & Publisher of TotalBlueSports.com. Matt is a senior at BYU majoring in print journalism. He worked as a copy editor, editorial/opinion section editor, columnist, and staff writer on his high school and junior college newspapers. Most recently, Matt was a staff writer for The Daily Universe, BYU’s school paper, where he covered the environmental beat. Matt hails from Thousand Oaks, California.
Although I will still be around TBS, I do want to take a moment to thank Jedd Parkinson, Talo Steves, and Brandon Gurney for bringing me on board. It is a privilege to be associated with them and with TBS. I also need to send a special thank you to my predecessor in this position. Without a kind word on my behalf from Reg, I never would have had this choice experience.
Now, please join me in welcoming Matt to the TBS community and in wishing him the best as he begins this new endeavor.