A Michigan resident recently arrived in the Land of 10,000 Lakes

There was a lot to take in on my 13-hour drive from central Michigan to northern Minnesota. But as I moved my belongings from a U-Haul to my new studio apartment, I had only one thought on my exhausted mind: You guys really weren’t kidding about all those lakes.

I’m Alex Faber, the Bemidji Pioneer’s new sports reporter. I graduated from Michigan State University earlier this year, where I covered the school’s hockey, football and basketball teams for the student newspaper.

Before coming to Minnesota, I freelanced for the Detroit News, writing articles about Michigan State sports, college athletics, and the Detroit Lions. Obviously I have a huge passion for sports, but I’m also passionate about music, history, and fantasy.

And I’m from Michigan through and through.

I’m a religious fan of every Detroit team, went to Michigan State, know every word to Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” despise Ohio, and if you ask me where I’m from, I’ll point to the center of my hand and tell you I’m from Mount Pleasant, Michigan (yes, we really do that map thing with our hands). So I was a little hesitant to take a job far from my home state, even if it was still in the Midwest.

But I thought: How different can Minnesota be from my beloved home state? We’re all Midwesterners at heart: We say “pop,” we can be overly polite, and we have a surprising love for our sports teams, even when they’re terrible.

So far, I’ve gotten it mostly right, but I’ve already learned a few new things, like what Caribou Coffee is and how to properly pronounce “Beltrami.” And that there really are a surprising number of lakes in this state—I feel like I’ve already stumbled upon hundreds in my brief time up north.

I’m sure I’ll learn a lot more details about Minnesota culture in the coming months, but there’s one part of this particular city I already knew about long before my trip here: Bemidji State. In fact, the Beavers probably helped me realize I wanted to get paid to write about sports.

I grew up attending Ferris State hockey games, wearing a crimson and gold jersey with a grumpy bulldog lovingly embroidered on the chest. It was in this cold and charming (and dreary) Big Rapids hockey arena that I fell in love with sports.

Bemidji State was one of many opponents I rooted against when they came to town; I’ve seen the Beavers and Bulldogs face off at the RL Ewigleben Sports Complex more than a few times in a classic CCHA matchup.

Covering a school that used to regularly play one of my childhood teams is like coming full circle. My brief stay in Minnesota this summer has been extremely enjoyable, but part of me yearns for the crisp autumn winds and yellowing leaves that mark the return of fall and winter sports.

I’m ready to start writing.

I’m already somewhat familiar with Bemidji State hockey, but I can’t wait to learn more about the school’s football and basketball teams and provide the community with season-long coverage. Plus, I’m excited to continue covering high schools in a community so different from the Detroit metro area, where I’ve written most of my high school sports stories. I may come to regret wishing for a quick summer, though, if what I’ve heard about Minnesota winters is true.

For now, I’ll continue exploring Bemidji and discovering the state’s wealth of lakes. And if you see a new kid around town wearing a Jared Goff jersey, don’t be rude to him. He’s from Michigan.

Alex Faber is a sports reporter for the Pioneer. Readers can reach him at (218) 333-9787 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @alexpicfaber.