Guess What Happened to Me Today? September 2026

Editor’s Note: This column features out-of-the-ordinary events that occur to high school athletic directors, school administrators and performing arts educators during the course of their day’s work. If you have encountered an event that clearly strays from the daily plan, please send your information in 200 words or less to Bruce Howard at bhoward@nfhs.org.

In 2001, an executive sports editor at a major metropolitan newspaper was saying his farewells as he was about to move on to a similar position with the Washington Post. I would spend 31 years as a sports reporter in that profession covering everything from the preps to the pros before moving into administration with a high school association.

As he made his way to me, he smiled broadly and thanked me for my valued role in raising the visibility of high school activities. He shared words that still resonate in a powerful way: “Don’t ever underestimate the magnitude of what your coverage of high school activities means to people.”

Those words drew a smile recently while cleaning out archive materials. I came across a thank you note from Bob Laney, a 1964 graduate of Proctor High School, located just to the southwest of Duluth, a long jump shot away from Lake Superior.

In celebrating 100 years of boys basketball in Minnesota during the 2012-13 season, I eagerly raised my hand to lead a project that identified the top 100 players in that span.

Laney made the list at No. 58. He was well-known for his rebounding prowess. He set a single-game state tournament record of 32 rebounds and 69 for three games. Both still stand as Minnesota State High School League records. He was later a collegiate standout at Concordia (Minnesota) College, a Division III school.

His note was positive reinforcement that what we do in chronicling the journeys of students really does matter. Remember, for most students, the peak of their athletic careers is the high school level. What a thrill it is for those students to see their names in newspapers, highlight clips on television or to hear themselves on a radio interview.

As journalists and administrators who oversee vast archives, it is rewarding to share these impactful journeys. A longtime journalist will craft many thousands of stories during their career. While they might not remember every story, it is incredibly satisfying when they are reminded of ones that are treasured memories.