Why I Write: Jos Fagundes

Editor’s note: Welcome to our series for this summer. Every Thursday from June through August, one of our writers will share a bit about the journey that brought them here. The goal is to provide a way for our readers to learn more about the people behind the keyboard as well as the steps they have taken in their careers so far.

What are some interesting notes about your personal life that you care to share?

So everyone must be thinking, “what kind of name is Jos?” Well, let me explain. My full name is Joseph, but from a young age, everyone called me Jos. My mom was a teacher and there was a kid in her class who was a troublemaker named Joey, so my parents didn’t want me to be Joey. I grew up in Clovis, California which is just outside of Fresno. I went to Buchanan High School and got into sports media when I took a high-level videography class. We did our high school’s news broadcast and I was given the option to be the sports reporter. I took it and that year we won a regional Emmy for our Buchanan News Network show. My high school was a great place to go because of how good our sports were. We were ranked number 1 in the nation my sophomore year in baseball. I also got to play and watch athletes like Georgia Running Back Kendall Milton, Fresno State Wide Receiver Jalen Cropper, and Stanford Center Fielder Brock Jones. I also worked for a semi-pro hockey team, the Fresno Monsters, as their sideline reporter and cameraman. Now, I am just finishing up at the University of Nevada, Reno where I hope to take my degree to the next level and become a sports analyst in professional baseball or professional football.

Why do you like writing?

I like writing, especially sports writing because I get to use my writing skills to put my knowledge of sports on paper and put it out into the world. I have always loved writing since I was young. Before I wanted to do something in the sports media world, I wanted to become a filmmaker and write and direct movies. Taking the videography class in high school pushed me to write scripts for little skits and short films. I use the skill of script writing in my sports writing to draw the audience in so they are not just reading stats, but making it like they are just reading what actually happened in the game.

Why do you follow college sports?

Growing up in Fresno I was born into following college sports. I don’t remember David Carr being at Fresno State, but I do remember watching his brother Derek Carr throw touchdowns to Davante Adams back in 2013. One of my first memories of college sports, however, was when Fresno State won the College World Series in 2008. I was at an Oakland A’s game with my Fresno State Baseball gear on my 9th birthday when they won. The A’s put me on the jumbotron and announced that Fresno State won the College World Series. Watching players from all sports like the Carr Brothers, Davante Adams, Paul George, Aaron Judge, Taylor Ward, Jordan Luplow, Ryan Matthews, and many others that came out of Fresno State is what made me start following college sports more.

What led to writing for MWCConnection?

So at the Reynolds School of Journalism at UNR, there is a class every journalism student must take and it is an internship class. In this internship class, students learn to find and work an internship in the field they want to go into. For me, wanting to go into sports media, I tried to find an internship that I would enjoy because I am a true believer in choosing a job that is enjoyable to make it easier to work. A good friend of mine is Willie Brazil, the Wyoming team writer, and he mentioned I should try to do it with MWCConnection. And now here I am, six months later, as the UNLV team writer, loving every minute of it.

What do you like about writing for MWCConnection?

I love writing for MWCConnection because I get to express my love and knowledge of sports on a sports media platform. I have always been told to just do it on my own through social media like Tik Tok and Twitter, but it is difficult when you do not have a following. However, MWCConnection gives me a platform with a following to show my knowledge and ability to the world. I greatly appreciate the opportunity MWCConnection has given me over the last few months.