From the birthplace of presidents to the Hoosier state

Three months ago, I was walking across the stage at the Vine’s Center on Liberty University’s campus. I had finished my collegiate journey.

After the weekend passed, like many fresh college graduates, I sat and asked myself, “what’s next?” After months of applying for several different jobs in sports media, I came across a job posting to work for a newspaper in Indiana. This immediately caught my eye. 

Growing up a huge basketball fan and watching the movie “Hoosiers” multiple times throughout my life, Indiana is known for its basketball prowess. Where else better for a basketball junkie to get his sports media career started than in the Hoosier state? I applied, went through the interview process and was blessed enough to receive a call from president, editor and publisher Ray Cooney offering me a job. 

After discussing it with my family and friends, last Thursday I made the seven and a half-hour journey to Indiana from Virginia.

My name is William Cash, and I am the new sports reporter for The Graphic Printing Company. I am excited to join the community here. 

To introduce myself to everyone about more of my background, I was raised in the small town of Waynesboro, Virginia. You probably have never heard of it. For more clarity, Waynesboro is located in between the cities of Harrisonburg and Charlottesville, Virginia. 

I graduated in May from Liberty University located in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a bachelor’s degree in digital media and journalism. There is a good chance none of you have ever heard of Liberty either. If you keep up with college football, or specifically Group of Five football, Liberty got slaughtered by Oregon in the latest Fiesta Bowl. Nevertheless, go Flames!  

I have a random collection of favorite sports teams, as Virginia is the largest state in America without a pro sports franchise. In the NBA, I am the biggest Los Angeles Lakers fan you will ever meet; for college sports, I grew up a huge Virginia Tech fan, and there is a good chance you might spot me around town wearing Hokies gear from time to time.

You might now be asking yourself what on earth is a “Hokie”? Honestly, I am not completely sure either. According to the Tech website, a "HokieBird" evolved from a turkey. (Teams were once called the Gobblers.) But, no matter how mad they make me after having numerous mediocre football seasons in the past decade, I will always consider myself a Hokie.   

I also support my alma mater, Liberty University, and have loose fandoms of the Denver Broncos in the NFL and the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball. 

Growing up, I fell in love with the game of basketball and watching the late, great Kobe Bryant. Even as just a small child, I was enamored with Kobe’s approach to the game. His attention to detail, work ethic and his trademark “Mamba Mentality” inspired me and were what brought me to love sports. 

I played basketball throughout my childhood and ran cross country and track in high school. My biggest accomplishment was winning MVP of Wilson Memorial High’s indoor track team in 2020 and was named district champion in the 500-meter dash. 

This is going to sound cliche, but when I realized I was more than likely not going to be a pro athlete in my early teenage years, I asked myself what would be the next best thing in sports. I thought about coaching and then about being a sports journalist. I chose the latter. 

I have been writing about sports off and on since I was about 16 years old for Red Cup News, Fansided’s college basketball website “Busting Brackets” and, most recently, Liberty’s newspaper, “The Champion.”

I look forward to meeting more of you at each game, match and meet I am tasked with covering for The Graphic Printing Company’s newspapers.

With college behind me, I’m excited to take the first steps of my professional journey.