N.J. Sports Writer Passes 1,000 Games Covered
This article was written for my Sports Writing class at Temple University.
By Candice Monhollan
Mike Ashmore is well-known for his minor league baseball coverage, but has expanded to other sports. (Candice Monhollan)
Sometimes for journalists to catch their break, it takes being in the right place at the right time.
In the case of Mike Ashmore, it was sitting in his sports journalism class at Raritan Valley Community College in 2003 that got him the start he needed.
“The Somerset Patriots beat writer for the Hunterdon County Democrat, Scott Stanchak, was in my class,” Ashmore said. “I happened to be taking a look at some pictures of Patriots games that I had taken on my computer and he needed someone to help him out with pictures for the season.”
Stanchak brought Ashmore on to help him during the season and by the end, he progressed into writing. In 2006, Ashmore took over for Stanchak and became the Patriots beat writer and has since added the Trenton Thunder as well, he said.
The 29 year old got his start in minor league baseball and is now in his 10th season and just passed his 1,000th game covered, but they haven’t all been about baseball. He has also ventured into other sports, including hockey, basketball, football and the UFC.
Ashmore has varied in leagues as well, going from the minors up to the major leagues.
“There was some aspect of wanting to expand,” Ashmore said. “I wanted to have more versatility in my resume and my portfolio. I wanted to show that I could do more than just baseball.”
The native of Three Bridges, N.J., may be the Patriots beat writer for the Hunterdon County Democrat, but he is also a “freelance extraordinaire,” as he calls himself on Twitter. Read more »
About
“Hockey won’t hold still for a portrait. To gain a glimpse inside, you join it in progress, just as players do – jumping onto the ice for their shifts as the game swirls around them.
“On that ice the action moves at high speeds. The punishment doled out can be staggering and the very best in the world form bands of brothers as authentic as any in sports.
“Virtuoso talents alongside distinctive leaders, fearless combatants and relentless competitors. They play with an intensity from another age. A passion invulnerable to cynicism and an energy that embraces whatever the ice offers next. Through heights and depths, lengthy streaks and sudden turnarounds and the spirited collision in the national spotlight, they have revealed a portion of a season in progress.
“Hockey won’t hold still to give you a better look. You wouldn’t want it to anyway. It’s the action that makes the possibilities endless. The next practice, the next city and the next game await.”
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NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
I have decided to turn this site into more of a resumé for prospective employers and a place to keep links to all of my stories published in other places, such as newspapers and magazines.
I have now created a separate place for all my feature and profile articles from around the sporting world. Make sure to bookmark the link to The Sports Lair!
Candice grew up and still lives in Philadelphia, Pa., although she did spend one year in the hockey hub of Boston, Mass. She graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia with a degree in journalism with a focus on newspaper and sports.
She is a freelance writer for The Phoenix newspaper in Phoenixville, Pa., covering high school sports at Phoenixville and Spring-Ford and also entertainment pieces in the area.
Candice is also a football stringer with the Reading Eagle, covering high school teams in Berks County and continuing coverage on the Reading Royals and some Philadelphia Flyers for Center Ice Philly Magazine.
Her work can be found published in multiple media outlets, including the Trenton Titans official website, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and The Hockey News magazine.
She is a former American Military History major and still likes to dabble in history when she can find the time, from reading books by the dozen and trying to travel to battlefields across the country, and hopefully soon, the world. Though her attention is mostly focused on writing about sports, she still hopes to one day research and write a book on the American Civil War.
Read more about her here.
Check out a feature about Candice on D-Zone Hockey.
YouTube Page
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Photography Page
For photographs ranging from sports to animals and more, make sure to visit my Behance page.
Here’s a preview of one of my many photographs:
High School Sports Coverage
A list of teams I have covered this school year.
Berks Catholic Saints varsity football
Boyertown Bears varsity football
Daniel Boone Blazers varsity football
Exeter Eagles varsity football
Fleetwood Tigers varsity football
Kutztown Cougars varsity football
Phoenixville Phantoms girls varsity basketball
Phoenixville Phantoms boys varsity soccer
Phoenixville Phantoms girls varsity volleyball
Phoenixville Phantoms girls JV volleyball
Pottsville Crimson Tide varsity football
Reading High Red Knights varsity football
Spring-Ford Rams boys varsity soccer
Twin Valley Raiders varsity football
Reading Goal
My progress in an attempt to read 30 books by December 31.Currently Reading
No data found
