For the first time that anyone can remember, Joel Priest was speechless.
The indefatigable sportswriter for the Pine River Times and Southern Ute Drum received an almost-new 2017 Ford Escape as a gift Thursday from the Bayfield sports community.
On his way to Bayfield’s regional volleyball tournament Nov. 3 in Parker, Priest hit an animal on Interstate 25 and severely damaged the front of his beloved Subaru Forester.
Carol Thurman, Priest’s mother, had her car loaded onto a trailer and delivered to Priest four hours later by his step father, Bill Thurman, and he still made it to Parker in time for Bayfield’s first volleyball match of the night.
“I have no words,” said Priest, a 1997 graduate of BHS who earned his journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. “What can you even say when someone does something like that for you? I thought I was showing up to talk to some seniors interested in media. I can’t believe it.”
Parents of some Bayfield High School students decided it was time to give the intrepid reporter a hand. Priest, who also announces games at Bayfield and Ignacio, also is a rabid softball player and sports fan.
The nearly new vehicle has four-wheel drive, new tires and a minimal amount of mileage. It will undoubtedly acquire thousands of miles as Priest travels the state following the Wolverines the rest of the school year.
BHS athletes also gave him gift cards for gasoline, oil changes, coffee, restaurants and hotels.
The gift was from Tyler Martin and Saul’s Creek Rehab in Bayfield.
“He’s shown up to all the games that I’ve gone to,” Martin said. “He’s always shown up for the team, so it was an easy decision to make.”
All of the athletes at Thursday’s presentation thanked him for his support of local students. Hunter Killough joked that when he runs faster in a football game than Priest, he knows he’s making good time. Priest is known for sprinting around sidelines in an effort to get photos of every play.
“Thank you for everything you do to support Bayfield athletics, Joel,” said BHS senior Savannah Kaufmann. “You deserve all of this.”
Priest thanked all of the students and parents for their generosity and said he works hard to cover local sports so the athletes have a record of their accomplishments.
“I do it all for you,” he said, almost choking up as he spoke.
He then called his mechanic and canceled the repair work on his old car.
“Nobody in the state puts in more miles to cover high school sports,” said John Livingston, sports editor of The Durango Herald. “His passion for Colorado high school athletics is second to none. Bayfield is a special sports community, and I couldn’t imagine Wolverine athletics without Joel. He’s our road warrior, and I’m so thankful to the Bayfield community for recognizing him.”
Durango Herald sports editor John Livingston contributed to this report.
