Hi, my name is Sylvie McCarthy, and I am the new staff writer at the Picayune Item where I will be covering sports and news within Pearl River County.
My last job was at the Casper Star Tribune in Casper, Wyoming where I worked as a sports reporter.
Originally my family is from Connecticut, but we moved to Jacksonville, Florida when I was 8-years-old.
I have my degree in communications from the University of North Florida.
I have three brothers, and people always assume that is why I am so interested in sports.
However, my brothers are not big sports fans.
When I was growing up, my dad and I watched football together on the weekends.
He and I are the sports junkies of the family.
Since my family is from New England, we are big New York Giants fans, and big UCONN Huskie fans.
However, since I grew up in the south where college football is a way of life I became a Florida Gators fan almost instantly.
There is nothing like wearing orange and blue on a college football Saturday and cheering on the Gators in the swamp.
I realize I am very close to Death Valley country, and therefore surrounded by LSU fans but that will not stop me from representing my Gators, especially during the season.
Ultimately, my goal is to be a sideline reporter for ESPN.
I have no doubt that working here at the Picayune Item will only strengthen my skills as a sports reporter.
As I continue to get to know the area, I am very excited to form good working relationships with all the coaches and players I will be speaking with on a regular basis.