Jon Schultz is an award-winning sports journalist and Michigan State University grad who lives in Sacramento, Calif. writing about everything from football and snowboarding to music and the latest industry trends. But mostly sports.
Clips
WES LEONARD
Coverage of Fennville high school basketball player Wes Leonard, who died after hitting a game-winning shot in March 2011. I gave our readers the only first-hand account of the night’s tragic events. Leonard’s story went national overnight, was featured on ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” and his team was nominated for the “Best Sports Moment” ESPY.
Shocking death: Fennville basketball star Wes Leonard collapses after clinching perfect season
- First place, spot news, 2011 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper contest
- JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Not all sports reporters are capable of reporting hard news. Jon Schultz obviously can, and The Holland Sentinel was fortunate to have someone with a sports reporter’s deadline savvy to deliver this story as quickly and thoroughly as he did on a tough deadline. The story starts with an strong summary lead, then goes into a logical progression of ensuing events, reactions and scene description. Schultz deftly contrasted the excitement of a thrilling finish to an important basketball game, punctuated by its star player’s winning basket, with the tragic, anxiety-filled aftermath when that star player collapsed and later died. I could envision the people standing around, jolted from celebration to confusion and devastation. I could picture the opposing team players’ praying for their fallen rival in the locker room afterward. Schultz made the scene real to me. There’s little to nitpick about what more could have been included in this story when Schultz gathered the variety of relevant interviews that he did while working against the clock. This category is spot news, and Schultz was spot on.”
- First place, sports writing, 2011 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper contest
- JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This was a well-written story that captured the horror of the sudden death of a student athlete moments after a great victory. This story got national attention, but I still got choked up reading this story months later.”
A night for Wes: Fennville star honored by fans, teams at DeVos
- Second place, sports writing, 2011 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper contest
Column — Fennville’s Wes Leonard much more than star athlete
Smiles break through: Still-grieving Fennville tops Bangor to reach district final
Leonard legacy lives on: Fennville star named Sentinel’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year
Column — Prepared for a shock? AEDs have gone overlooked by schools for too long
Column — I’m glad Fennville didn’t win the ESPY
ENTERPRISE / IN-DEPTH FEATURES
I pride myself on asking the questions that take a story to a deeper level, and this often leads to issues that transcend sports. I try to represent athletes as the true people they are. So often they are relegated to a superhuman pedestal that makes it hard to relate and empathize with them.
- Third place, sports feature, 2011 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper contest
A mother ‘back in the game’: Sally Mudd a fan in the stands one year after leukemia diagnosis
A torn issue: High school soccer coaches differ on ACL injury prevention
Tick-ing time bomb: Tiny predators hatching, armed and dangerous
After sitting out season, Peter Bunn shaking off rust, working harder than ever
KIRK COUSINS
Michigan State University quarterback Kirk Cousins has an enormous following in his hometown of Holland, so we made him a priority and I essentially was assigned to his beat. This presented the challenge of bringing our readers unique content 100 miles from campus when competing with a slew of MSU beat writers. It also tested my creativity in bringing a fresh approach to every story on him during his career.
Column — Looking for work: Time to make full-time hire in MSU QB job search
- Third place, sports column, 2009 Michigan Associated Press contest
Column — On the cusp of greatness: Holland’s Kirk Cousins could set new standard for MSU QBs
- Third place, sports column, 2011 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper contest
Rose goals NFL dreams: The more MSU’s Kirk Cousins succeeds, the more his boundaries are blurred
Column — Cousins’ national respect enters video-game world
GAMERS
Writing an enticing game story has become more challenging as the industry evolves. By the time the newspaper hits the readers’ coffee table, they likely already know what happened. I strive to give them something more.
Saugatuck edges Fulton in overtime, marches to title game at Ford Field
No answer for Appling: Junior’s record 49 points sinks Kalamazoo Central in title game
Hope basketball clinches outright MIAA title
‘Tougher’ Hope basketball takes MIAA lead from Albion
Rockford beats West Ottawa in Division 1 district final
VIDEO
Kicker Bryan Holmes the hero in West Ottawa’s playoff win
Calvin goes deep in rivalry win over Hope basketball
Nic Kiekover’s 5 TDs leads Holland Christian past Hamilton
West Ottawa ‘Pink Out’ cancer fundraiser
GVSU football spring game highlights and interviews
