Still Beckoning

It may not be overly apparent from this article title, but I have continued to struggle with whether I want to continue this site. Year after year I take the Indy Eleven offseason to evaluate whether I want to spend another season devoting my time to writing about my hometown team. Around the final third of each season, the frustrations and time commitment that I spend trying to write the best articles that I can start to feel like it's not worth my time. After spending the summer months writing about the men's team and the women's team, the sheer quantity of games and articles starts to wear on me since this originated as a hobby and is not my full-time job. As I indicated in my unfiltered thoughts after the men's team's USL Cup quarterfinal loss to Greenville, there was a stretch this past June during the W League season where I attended 4 games and wrote 6 articles in a 9 day span (Friday to following Saturday). Even with a hobby that you enjoy, that was a lot to write.

After the off-season consideration of whether to walk away from the keyboard, I'm planning to be back for another year of covering Indy Eleven, and have submitted my request for season-long credentials (which I know as of the time of this article that I and my photographers have been approved to receive). Another year of articles, discussions with the coaches post game, and stadium/MLS talk. Maybe even a few articles this year on some of the World Cup games.

With one major caveat...

I'm going to write when and how much I want. When you request season credentials from Indy Eleven, it states that if you don't intend to cover at least half of the home games, then you should request credentials on a game-by-game basis. Women's team games requires a separate credential request, but generally indicates the same thing. So, at a minimum, the men's team credential request asks that you cover 9 games of the 18-game home schedule. With the women, if I were to request those credentials, that would be 2.5 games of the 5-game home schedule. By the team's requirements, I need to cover a dozen games over the two seasons. 

I plan to do more than that minimum, but maybe I don't get as detailed in my articles for the away games. Maybe I limit the away games to just the key details and not go in as much depth as I have in the past. Maybe I barely cover the women's away games. Racing Louisville barely covers the games so why should I struggle through a terrible feed to cover the game too?

Other than that's the standard I've set for myself and this site. That doesn't mean that I have to continue to overwhelm myself doing a hobby.

I've decided that I might, emphasis on might, bring a bit more levity and open honesty about the teams and the club. I've tried to be as professional of a writer as possible on this site, but I'm not a professional. I have no formal or informal training in journalism. It should be okay for me to periodically sound unprofessional.

So while some level of frustration has been and will likely remain a part of my ongoing relationship with this club and this site, I plan to continue to write this year, just maybe not at the depth or frequency as I have in the past. I want to also enjoy watching a game for the joy of watching a game and not evaluating it for things to write about.

Ken Block, the rally driver and of gymkhana fame, once replied when asked during an interview about his legacy, "I try to inspire people to be creative and live a fun life. And don't be an asshole."

This site has been my idea of being creative, I don't think I'm an asshole. Backing down the effort on this site this year will be my attempt to live a fun life. We'll see how it goes.