AI-assisted summary Jaeden Day introduces himmself as the new high school sports reporter and Alabama State athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser.

Day is originally from Bloomfield, New Mexico, and is a 2024 graduate of Colorado State University.

Day expresses excitement about covering Montgomery area high school football and Alabama State athletics.

Day invites community members to share story ideas and recommendations.

Hello, Montgomery Advertiser readers. I am Jaeden Day, and I’m excited to introduce myself as the new high school sports reporter and Alabama State athletics beat writer.

I come to Montgomery from Bloomfield, New Mexico, a small town located in the northeastern tip of the state. And when I say small town, I mean small town. Bloomfield is only about 7,000 people.

Being in a city that holds close to 190,000 people is a change I welcome, although ditching the green chile on my burgers may not be so easy. But it’s a good thing I’ll get an upgrade in the BBQ department.

I graduated from Colorado State University in 2024 and have been covering high school sports as a freelance journalist since 2023 for my hometown newspaper.

From the first NFL football game that I watched with my father, I knew that I wanted to have a career in sports. My passion for writing, paired with my love of sports, made it a perfect match to become a sports journalist.

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Writing for a small publication taught me the value of community and the power of storytelling. I believe sports are more than just scores and statistics ‒ they’re about people, passion and the pride communities feel when they rally around their athletes and teams.

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To say I am excited for what Montgomery sports has to offer is an understatement.

I look forward to what Friday nights look like when it comes to Alabama football in the Montgomery area.

Games like Pike Road versus Prattville at the Cramton Bowl for the Kickoff Classic, or seeing how defending 5A champion Montgomery Catholic will navigate through its season under a new head coach is thrilling indeed.

And of course I can’t forget expressing my eagerness for my first flag football experience with the nationally-ranked and defending champion Montgomery Catholic.

Don’t get me started on how ecstatic I am for my first Turkey Day Classic experience, and since I am the uninitiated, I encourage any tips or information that will heighten the experience for me.

Coming from a town that is only filled with prep sports, Alabama State offers me my first college coverage opportunity and for all you Hornet lovers, get ready for the coverage your university deserves.

My goal is to become a voice you can trust while bringing you feature stories that inspire and capture the special moments your teams and athletes create, along with strong analysis that will aid in your conversations that you have about your local Montgomery teams.

Joining the Montgomery Advertiser is a dream come true, not only because I get to cover high school sports and Division I college sports, but because I get to be a part of a talented newsroom that cares about the community it serves.

When I’m not on the sidelines or in the press box, you’ll likely find me on the golf course tackling the Robert Trenton Jones Golf Trail starting with Capitol Hill, or working on my drive at the Range 231 while enjoying some good live music. I am excited to try my hand on a raft at Montgomery Whitewater and take the historical Civil Rights walking tour.

I may take off northwest to the Sipsey River in Tuscaloosa to rejuvenate myself with the trout species from time to time, because I hear trout are almost nonexistent in Montgomery; but I could pick up the rod and reel and go searching for some trophy bass every now and then.

If you see me at a game or wandering around the community, please feel free to say hello. If you’ve got a story idea or restaurant/barber recommendations-please reach out. I am here to tell your stories ‒ and I couldn’t be more excited to get rolling with the upcoming football season.

Jaeden Day is a high school sports/Alabama State beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at JDay@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @dayjaeden12.