Forty-two years after graduating from Brookline High School, sports reporter Eliot Schickler returned to his alma mater to improve the coverage of sports and spirit of the athletic community in his hometown.
Schickler graduated in the class of 1981 and went on to receive his master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston, all the while holding his position of sports editor for the university’s newspaper. He now covers various Warriors sports teams and writes articles covering games.
Following college, Schickler worked for Westport News in Connecticut and said he received praise from coaches who believed that the sports coverage was lacking before his arrival.
“I made sure all sports got some coverage as best I could. Some sports got more attention than others for sure—I’m partial to basketball and gymnastics in the winter—but I managed to cover all sports at least a little,” Schickler said.
Schickler said his goal is to give Brookline the same broad coverage of sports that he gave to Westport.
“I’d like to see scoreboards at all Brookline sports venues. When I visited Downes Field for the first time on April 4, 2023, I was taken aback to see that there was not a scoreboard,” Schickler said. “I’ve been to a couple hundred athletic venues and each one of them has a scoreboard. Only Brookline doesn’t have a permanent scoreboard.”
Schickler has a blog and is currently trying to start a YouTube channel. He said he hopes these two platforms will lead him to new opportunities in sports reporting for the high school.
“I want to cover sports and give it editorial impact. I’m hoping it will lead to a sports editorship somewhere. I’m not sure where or when, but I have some ideas in the process,” Schickler said.
Senior and girls varsity field hockey and lacrosse captain Maggie Teahan said Schickler has greatly impacted individual athletes and the greater athletic community through his reporting.
“He brings people closer with the articles that he writes, and featuring student-athletes makes people know of other sports that they’re not into or connected to,” Teahan said. “I think he needs more recognition. He works really hard, he memorizes every date. He knows the first time I ever scored a lacrosse goal three years ago.”
Senior and girls varsity field hockey and ice hockey captain Izzy Paes said that throughout the field hockey season, Schickler was very supportive of the entire team.
“He always compliments me on how I play, and we talk about the game – how I had a good hustle and made good plays,” Paes said. “He helps bring the team up. After a loss, he always has something positive to say, and he’s always there to tell you how good you did. He pays attention to every player.”
Schickler said he tries to be fair, objective and accurate in his reporting, while also giving the readers a deeper understanding. Through his writing, Schickler said he aims to make sports coverages feel like real stories.
“It’s about bringing the story to life, making the subject sparkle and making it feel like it’s in living color,” Shickler said.
Ultimately, Schickler’s dedication to his work goes beyond reporting; his writing is fueled by a profound passion and love for the games that he reports on.
“I get to watch athletes perform,” Schickler said. “I enjoy seeing the athletes do their best and give their all, and the purity of sports where it’s not for money but for the love of the game.”
