We made it! We have been working for four years on this whirlwind, experimental, fun, awesome, and exciting project that has taken us on so many journeys and afforded us so many opportunities for which we would like to celebrate and thank everyone for allowing us to do what we love . . . be nerds!
As maybe some of you know, the whole idea behind Ashville Athletics started with "Ashville Bulldog Sports" on October 24, 2012. We launched our very first website on that date: ashvillebulldogsports.com. We haven't looked back since.
A lot of things have changed since 2012. We have actual camera and production equipment thanks to our awesome sponsors. We don't work out of my basement anymore (which was "fun.") We have more support than ever, and we just signed a multi-year deal to stream all sporting events for ESPN (kidding about that last one.)
It is crazy to think that we reach thousands of people through our website, social media outlets, and video programs on a weekly basis. Some of you may find that hard to believe, but we do. I have talked with people all over the country that are proud Ashville alumni who love connecting with their alma mater through our services, which makes it all worth it in the end.
Of course, none of this would be possible if it were not for the amazing businesses and people we have supporting us financially. B.D. Welch Construction LLC has been with us for almost a year, as has Fouts Tractor and Alex Farmer. Without the support of these people and companies, we would not have a website, equipment, or any of the other tools we need to produce quality content for the Ashville Family.
The school itself has been a major help in what we do everyday. I cannot name the amount of hours that our coaches and teachers have put in communicating and assisting us in what we do. They all have been so patient, whether it's sitting down for interviews, waiting for their team's score updates on Facebook, or simply taking the time to keep us up to date on their future plans and schedules. Thank you, faculty, coaches, and AHS administration for everything that you have done over the years to help us get here.
Last, but certainly not least, are those that make this show run every, single day. The people behind the scenes that you see running around on the court, the field, or the street are the very heart of what we do at Ashville Athletics. We have an amazing team that was just assembled in July to cover the 2016-2017 sports year at AHS. Perkins Carden is our newest and youngest addition to the staff, but he has proven his dedication and spirit by writing an amazing football recap column and live-streaming some important events over Facebook, proving his worth and love for Ashville Athletics. Mickey Farmer joined us in the Spring, helping with archival research; now, Mickey manages our gameday presence and covers football and basketball via video, assisting in media production and content creation. These two men are hard workers and epitomize what Ashville Athletics strives to develop further into the future.
This is not that special of an occasion, but it was a moment that allowed me to reflect on what the Ashville community has done for us and for itself. We have had some rough times during the past four years, but we have had some great times as well. The Ashville Family has persevered and supported us in so many ways. I want to thank all of you for being there with us, and we hope to see many more years down the road, improving every step of the way.
Thank you, and Go Dawgs!