As I was crossing the I-40 bridge early Saturday morning, the Bass Pro Shops pyramid came into view and I gasped.
My eyes widened as my new hometown of Memphis unfolded before me. As a Houston-area kid who had spent four years of college in the small but endlessly charming city of Columbia, Missouri, I couldn’t wait to get back to the big metropolitan area.
Despite the busy schedule and shifting lifestyle, my first weekend there did not disappoint. Stops at Gus’, Central BBQ, and BB King’s Blues Club made me feel closer to home.
As Sunday turned to Monday, my new journey as a high school sports reporter for The Commercial Appeal officially began.
“I’m excited to dive into the vibrant high school sports world in Memphis. My first reporting job in college was covering a local high school football team. I love interacting with the players, coaches, families and community and I’m excited to do that here at 901.”
Before graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism in May, I covered University of Missouri football for nearly two years for the Columbia Missourian. The team’s first trip of the 2023 season was to St. Louis to take on the University of Memphis. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
It seemed I was destined to end up in Memphis, one way or another.
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Previously, he worked as an intern at NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth for three years and was a sports radio show host and commentator at KCOU 88.1 FM in Columbia.
Everyone I’ve spoken to about the Memphis high school sports world describes the city as a playground full of rich history, talent and stories, and I personally can’t wait to learn it all.
I have a curious nature and an attention to detail. I love to share untold stories, stories that bring to light undiscovered trends and happenings around the city. As a baseball player for 15 years, I’m excited to connect with the city’s up-and-coming athletes and tell their stories in a holistic way, in an era when athletes are more commodified than ever before.
I’ve been a sports fan my whole life and have always been taught that sports are more than just box scores. Sports are stories. Memphis is a city full of stories and I can’t wait to explore them.
To contact sportswriter Wendell Shepherd Jr., email or follow him at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com translation: On the social media app X, formerly known as Twitter.
