MARYSVILLE Wisconsin native Danielle Szulczewski is the new sports reporter for The Marysville Globe.
The 25-year-old was born and raised in Merrill, Wisc. and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in political science in 2004.
She got her start in journalism on the high school yearbook and parlayed that into a career at the Daily Cardinal, one of two student newspapers on the 40,000-student campus in the Wisconsin state capitol.
At Merrill High School she was much like the title character in the movie Rushmore, and belonged to every club she could possibly join. She was on the debate team, mock trial team and managed the cross country and track teams, and played saxophone in the school band, jazz band and marching band.
God, I had the longest senior summary in the yearbook, Szulczewski laughed as she settled in to her new office at The Globe headquarters on State Avenue. I kind of made a point of it, but Im a little bit embarrassed about it.
Her time at the 10,000-circulation student newspaper primed her for just about anything and helped her come out of her shell. The paper had a staff of 150 and fought for market share along with two commercial papers as well. Szulczewski (its Polish and pronounced shul-chess-ski) served as opinion editor and managing editor and was a member of the papers board of directors. She joined the paper her first month on campus, started at the city desk and then promptly tried to do everything as soon as possible.
After taking her degree she freelanced for the Wisconsin State Journal, covering the renowned Dane County farmers market in Madison.
I interviewed a different vendor each week, Szulczewski said.
She did that until she moved to the Puget Sound area in August 2005, when she decided to break free and visit relatives living here. She freelanced for the Reporter newspapers and then worked for Congressman Rick Larsens campaign.
It was a lot of work and I wasnt used to working 60 to 80 hours a week, Szulczewski laughed. It was pretty intense.
She was drawn to sports because of the excitement involved, as opposed to those boring City Council meetings other scribes must attend. Those issues might be important but they can cure insomnia in most folks. Sports are the thing that gets peoples pulse going.
I really like it, Szulczewski said. I think there is more opportunity for excitement when you cover sports. I think sports is a real chance to have a little bit of that glamour in your life.
In her spare time Szulczewski likes to watch the tube. Favorite shows are Battlestar Gallatica and The Office.
I watch a lot of TV which isnt as bad as it sounds, because Im convinced that we live in the golden age of television, Szulczewski said.
Ive given up on Lost, I think they have just wondered out there a little far.
She loves college sports, especially basketball and boasts that her alma mater is ranked No. 4 in the nation. Szulczewski doesnt follow teams as much as she does the individual personalities on them.
Im more about the players than the team, she said.
Do you have a sport or an event you would like to see covered? Is there a student achiever at your school who deserves recognition? E-mail Globe sports reporter Danielle Szulczewski at danielles@marysvilleglobe.com or phone her at 360-659-1300.