State Winner Spotlight: B.J. Rains - Idaho Sportswriter of the Year

B.J. Rains won his fifth Idaho sportswriter of the year award in 2024 after a successful year with 247Sports and BroncoNationNews.com. Rains was around sports media at a young age, heavily influenced by his father, who won the 2024 NSMA Missouri Sportswriter of the Year award.

“When I was growing up, he was covering the Cardinals back in the 80s and 90s… he always said other people have to get up and say they have to go to work today and I get up and get to go to the ballpark for a game… his love for the game and media I kind of got it from him” Rains said.

During college at the University of Kansas, Rains wrote for the school paper and multiple internships, including a pivotal position at MLB.com. This allowed him to grow as a writer and gave him hands-on experience interviewing players and coaches in the clubhouse, filling in as the team's beat reporter for designated series.

“I learned in college, I kind of got thrown into the fire with that internship,” Rains said.

After a couple of different stops, Rains received a job offer from the Idaho Press Tribune and moved to Idaho.

“It was the right time to try something new, and I had heard about the blue turf in Idaho and figured we’d give it a shot. And you know, I’m with a different organization now, but 12, 13 years later, we’re still here and loving every second of it.

After nearly nine years with the Idaho Press Tribune, Rains started Bronco News Nation in 2021, his current full-time occupation.

“There are people who have great jobs, maybe better-paying jobs, maybe don’t love their job as much if it’s an 8-5 job or your stuck in an office all day. I get to say I’m going to work and go and watch football practice or going to watch basketball practice and sit in a press box and watch a game. It’s a pretty cool job,” Rains said.