Meet the 2020 Award Winners: Michigan Sportswriter Mick McCabe

This award spotlight is on NSMA 2020 Michigan Sportswriter of the Year, Mick McCabe, a second time NSMA winner! Mick has covered high school and college athletics at the Detroit Free Press for the last 51 years!

McCabe was interviewed by NSMA intern Sahil Dhawan on his career and the industry as a whole.

NSMA: What was your career path like on your way to your current position?

Mick: I signed up for English / journalism class sophomore year of high school. I was writing for the school newspaper. Since then, I knew I wanted to write for the newspaper. The Detroit Free Press was the best out there and everything I did from that point on was to get a job there.

NSMA: What is your favorite part of the job?

Mick: I enjoy almost everything. I realize my work can be cut out by some kid and he will keep it for the rest of his life. The best of the best is probably doing feature stories. Being able to give kids a voice and tell their story.

NSMA: What's some advice you can give those new to the industry?

Mick: Be relentless. Work as hard as you can. Sometimes people who start at the bottom like me, get frustrated and say they don't want to do certain things. But do whatever job you're given the best you can.

NSMA: What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

Mick: Probably the Ed Martin story, surrounding the Fab Five. It was gratifying to finally expose that.

You may watch the entire interview here:

Written by NSMA Intern,

Sahil Dhawan