Meet the 2019 Award Winners: Texas Sportswriter Kirk Bohls
12.07.2020
Today’s award spotlight is on NSMA 2019 Texas Sportswriter of the Year, Kirk Bohls. Bohls has worked at Austin American-Statesman since 1973, currently as a columnist for the publication. Bohls got his start working at his high school’s newspaper, the Taylor Daily press, in 1971 before a job as his college's newspaper, University of Texas' The Daily Texas. Beyond his column, Bohls has two books published with co-writer John Maher: Bleeding Orange: Trouble and Triumph Deep in the Heart of Texas Football and Long Live the Longhorns! 100 Years of Texas Football. He is the host and co-producer of the the podcast On Second Thought with co-host Cedric Golden as well, discussing a variety of topics mostly centered around the Texas Longhorns.
Bohls' 2019 tie for Texas Sportswriter of the Year with fellow sports journalist Jenny Creech, marks his fifth win of the award, his first being in 2011.
Bohls briefly spoke with NSMA on his career and other thoughts regarding the industry.
NSMA: What was your career path like on the way to your current position?
Kirk Bohls: I interned at the newspaper while I was working for the college paper, The Daily Texan, at the University of Texas. I came within an hour of taking a job in Lubbock. I began in May 1973, worked the high school beat for three years, then covered colleges, NFL, MLB, NBA for 20 years and have been a columnist since 1994.
NSMA: What is your favorite thing about your job?
KB: I truly love interviewing people and figuring out what makes each person tick. It's the best joy about the business.
NSMA: What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?
KB: Surviving for 47 1/2 years. Not getting fired ranks up there very high as does following Tiger Woods for every shot of his last two rounds as the only golfer under par when he won the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 shots and covering the Texas win over USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl as maybe the best bowl game of all time.
NSMA: What is the best piece of advice you have for people pursuing a career in sports media?
KB: Go at it with passion. Attack the job the same way every single day because you never know who might be reading you for the first time and you should always give the reader your best effort. Right up there with spell check.
Written by NSMA intern, Brian Cohen