Here’s how you know you’re having fun: when you celebrate a milestone anniversary and it seems like you just got started.
SD SportScene is celebrating its fifth-year anniversary this month. When I tell people the news, it’s generally met with a comment of “it’s been five years already?”
I share that same sentiment. It doesn’t quite seem possible.
A lot has changed since that February day back in 2021 and in my opinion all for the better.
While we’ve always had what I like to call ‘an aggressive program’ it has only multiplied 10-fold since the beginning.
We are covering many more teams than when we started. Currently we provide coverage for 37 high schools, Northern State, the Aberdeen Wings, and club teams like the Aberdeen Smittys, Aberdeen Swim Club, Cougars hockey, and more.
We’ve added a weekly Premier Performers list thanks to Schwan Financial, an app and regular podcasts thanks to Dacotah Bank. And we’re not done trying to go the extra mile to provide our readers with the best possible coverage. This past year we added a Legends Podcast (again thanks to Dacotah Bank), sharing stories of past legendary sports figures. Not only that, but in the past three years alone, SD SportScene has conducted interviews with more than 400 student-athletes each year to give you the highest quality coverage possible.
We currently provide daily coverage of the region, which for us includes 21 different counties. You cannot go on our site without finding something new and different every single day.
The best news for our subscribers is that we have had only one small rate increase since the day we started. It is the best deal for your dollar. We want to ensure that our readers have the best possible coverage for the best possible price.
The other good news is that our coverage continues to expand. In the past two weeks, SD SportScene set a record for the most items on the site in one day. Our home page holds 13 items. Twice this month we have had 14 items on the site, meaning individuals had to click on another page to continue to find out that day’s sports news. Not only that, but last week we posted the most box scores we’ve ever had at one time with 25.
Of course, it takes work to do all that, but around here we prefer to call it a passion. We love covering the exploits of our hard-working athletes and then sharing their stories with you.
We have a team that features a wide range of talents and abilities, but they share one thing in common: a desire to get the information accurate and then present it in a timely and useful manner. John Davis continues to provide the top sports photos in the region. He has a knack for photo composition and a motor that never quits. Jacque Niles and Blake Clay are gifted writers who deliver game stories and feature stories. Cashton LaPlante, Carson LaPlante, and Allie Hoekman also provide valuable content to SD SportScene and often do a lot of valuable work behind the scenes that every business needs.
Of course, we would be nothing without our loyal subscribers and sponsors who provide not only financial support, but also words of encouragement and inspiration throughout the year.
It’s been a fantastic five-year ride, and we have no plans of slowing down any time soon.
Thank you to everyone who has played a role in our journey. We appreciate each one of you and look forward to serving your sports needs in the year ahead. God bless you.
Dave Vilhauer
