Branson Tri Lakes News Welcomes New Sports Writer
Published on March 4, 2022 for Brason Tri Lakes News
The articles featured here are for portfolio purposes only and are not intended for public distribution. All rights remain with the original publishers. If you would like to view the original sources, please visit the link above. *Can supply supporting documents that ghost-written articles are authored by me if needed.*
Growing up in Arkansas, I knew Branson as a travel destination famous for its shows, shops, and specialty eats. Now, as I settle into my new role as the sports reporter, I still feel a bit like a tourist, learning the ins and outs of the community I now call home. But I am eager to fully immerse myself and experience the electric energy of a buzzer beater, the tension of a final match point, and the celebrations that follow hard earned victories.
For those I have not met yet, my name is Melanie Abbott, and for as long as I can remember, writing and athletics have been intertwined in my life. Even before I knew how to read, I would wake up before sunrise, newspaper in hand, savoring the quiet moments before the day's chaos set in.
At 11 years old, I was reluctantly placed on a swim team. Most kids got bored staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool, lap after lap. But for me, swimming became a place for mental storytelling, an exercise in word choice, narrative flow, and ideas that propelled my writing forward.
Now, as I finish my final semester at Drury University, I have spent the past four years balancing life as a collegiate athlete, racing across 10 states, and training as an endurance triathlete in the Ozarks. Thousands of hours in the pool, on my bike, and on the run have shaped me not just as an athlete but as a journalist. I know firsthand the grind that goes unseen, the early morning practices, the setbacks, the discipline, and the relentless pursuit of improvement. That is why I believe every game, every victory, and every heartbreak deserves to be told.
In high school, I was the copy editor for my school’s newspaper, covering both sports and news. At Drury, I studied multimedia production journalism, graphic design, and Spanish, blending storytelling with visual and digital media. My summers were spent writing press releases, managing social media, and creating content for local marketing agencies and nonprofits, but my heart has always been in print journalism.
I am thrilled to be in a professional newsroom for the first time, and I look forward to telling the stories of this community, the triumphs, the challenges, and the moments that matter most. If you have a story to share, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me at sports@bransontrilakesnews.com.