New sports reporter excited to join Daily Bee
Sammy Berryman, left, with her husband, Josh, at Zion National Park after her recent competition at 70.3 Worlds in St. George, Utah
Photo courtesy SAMMY BERRYMAN
Hey y’all, I’m Sammy Berryman, the new sports reporter for the Bonner County Daily Bee. I’ve recently moved over from Auckland, New Zealand where I was the sports development officer and social media officer for Athletics Auckland, which is fancy wording for helping local clubs bring children and young adults into track and field and cross country.
My husband, Josh, and golden retriever, Dudley, are both from New Zealand which is where we’ve resided for the last five years. As stunning as it is, we started craving true seasons and a larger country to explore. Hello Sandpoint, Idaho, USA!
Portland, Ore., has been home for most of my life. The outdoorsy culture it promotes combined with my dad's passion for running and my mom’s passion for the arts has helped influence my daily life today.
In high school, I was a four-sport athlete: soccer, snowboard team, dance team, track & field. I signed with the University of Arizona for the pole vault and heptathlon then transferred to Idaho State University during my junior year of college to train under the brilliant Dave Nielsen. Over the last few years, I’ve entered the world of endurance sport, most recently competing at the Half Ironman World Championships in St. George, Utah. So yes, when we meet in person I will slyly convince you to join me in some sort of activity.
Throughout my adolescence, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by local sports reporters. Now at the age of 33, I look back and think about how kind the reporters were and how special the articles made me feel. Each article, an acknowledgment of the hard work put in. As the new sports reporter for the Daily Bee, I’m looking forward to showcasing the athletes in our community and helping them feel that same sense of pride.
Whether living in Portland, Pocatello, Auckland, or Sandpoint, sport has been the anchor that’s allowed me to travel, meet people, test my abilities, and enter into new scenarios more confidently.
If you’d like to get a better idea of who I am, feel free to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter @sammyberryman. For information or potential leads regarding sport, please email me at sberryman@bonnercountydailybee.com.