Before I share my monthly message to the student-athletes, I would just like to share that ‘The Daily Grind’ won the best sports column for the 2024 Missouri Press Foundation: Better Newspaper Contest. I also won the best sports photo, which is great because I spent a lot of time learning about sports photography...

Following graduation, one of the most difficult things for a typical student-athlete to do is to decide on a career route. No matter if it's maintaining a career in athletics, finding the perfect school or moving on from sports in general, there are many options available...

It's time to go to work now that summer is officially here. This edition of the Daily Grind will focus on the importance of young athletes perfecting their skills for the next sports season. I know when you think of summer, it’s centered around going on vacation and unwinding from a tough athletic and academic year. I’m sure the last thing you want to do is be in the gym or on a hot field...

The summer is the perfect season to get outdoors and be active. After dealing with a lot of inclement weather, the long-awaited warmer temperatures are here, and it’s time to embrace some fun in the sun. Nothing makes me happier in the summer than being involved with many outdoor activities...

When the tough gets going during the season, a coach will look for someone to step up and help guide the team. We’ve finally hit the edge of the basketball season, and I cannot believe it’s almost over. Some teams have already exited the postseason, while the rest are looking to keep their season alive. As some of you continue the path of bringing home a state title, there will be a crucial moment when leadership is needed the most...

The 2023-2024 Ozark Foothills Conference basketball tournament has wrapped up, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. This year’s OFC tournament officially marked my one-year anniversary of writing strictly about sports for the Daily American Republic. Though basketball season is not quite over yet, I feel I have grown as a writer since I first arrived...

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started working at the Daily American Republic. This May will mark my third year as a journalist and two years as a sports writer. Covering Butler County and the surrounding areas has been pretty good, and I’m hoping that will continue on the next part of this journey...

Being the best student-athlete takes a different attitude. The key tools are being consistent, having grit and working harder than the day before. In the last edition of the Daily Grind, I mentioned how much of a fan I was of the late and great Kobe Bryant. ...

Don’t limit yourself from achieving greatness because you’re afraid to fail. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the hardships of achieving success, it is that you will face many failures before reaching your ultimate goal. Some of you dream of winning a state title, playing at the collegiate level and even in the pros, but getting to that destination will not be easy...

When your back is against the wall and things are not flowing in your favor, do you stand tall or crumble from the pressure? Before pointing the finger, take a moment to realize what you could’ve done better in that situation. This is called taking accountability...

For most of you, fall sports have wrapped up, and for the rest, you are gearing up for the playoffs. I’m sure you all have experienced some type of obstacle at some point during the season, and I wanted to provide another tool for the daily grind of being a student-athlete...

At this point, I know many of you have been inside the classroom for a few weeks and played in your first couple of games of the fall season. So, what’s the next phase of your journey as a student-athlete?...

This week, a lot of you guys will be stepping onto the football field, swinging your racks on the tennis court or hitting the bases for softball. Before the sports season officially gets going, I wanted to provide another tool for the daily grind of being a student-athlete...

Student-athletes often get caught up in the pressure of performing to a certain standard in the classroom and their selected sport. As a former athlete, I wanted to provide a series of tools to help ease the stressors of getting through the daily grind of being an athlete...

It’s the summertime and there’s nothing I want to see more than people stepping outside of their homes and getting outdoors. For the next few months, I encourage everyone in Butler County to get active...

My introduction to the Poplar Bluff and Butler County is long overdue. If I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you, my name is D’Courtland Christian, and I am the new Assistant Sports Editor for the Daily American Republic...