California Dreams for Sports Award winner

By UKjournalism

A first year student has won the trip of a lifetime after landing the 2005 Daily Telegraph Sports Writer Award.

For winning the national competition, BA (Hons) Journalism Student Sam Brydges will receive an all-inclusive trip with full behind-the-scenes media access to the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California.

Sam will spend four nights at one of the official tournament hotels, have press seating at all matches, and can have exclusive interviews with top players.

The award, formerly the Young Sports Writer Award, is now open to all age brackets so Sam's achievement is made even greater considering he only started his course in September 2004.

"My lecturer Julie Freer sent the whole class an email telling us about the competition," he said. "I had to write 150 words on my sporting hero."

David Eyres

Sam chose to write about 41-year old Oldham Athletic footballer David Eyres, who came into football fairly late in life but is still dazzling crowds in the lower leagues with his skill and knack of scoring goals.

Sam said: "I chose David Eyres because heís a bit different than the huge stars that I though most others would write about. Heís no David Beckham or Michael Owen, but heís still playing into his forties and is a model professional."

Sam has a keen interest in football ñ he did a one month work placement at Burnley FCís media office in July 2004 just after coming back from Portugal supporting England at Euro 2004.

But now that heís won the competition, Sam canít wait to get his tennis head on: "Iím really excited about going to California, I donít know what to expect but itís going to be a great experience for me.

"Iím interested in sport in general, and although I think itís an area Iíd like to work in the future, Iím keeping my options open."

Read Sam's winning piece and find out more about the Sports Writer Award 2005 on the Daily Telegraph website.

More info:
BA (Hons) Journalism >

Related stories from UKJournalism:
BBC's Lawro signs up for student paper >
Graduate wins award for Whitby steps appeal >
Katyís back in the England frame >
First year achieves front page glory >

See also:
Daily Telegraph online >
Pacific Life Open >
Indian Wells >

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