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A KID FROM HOUSTON <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At just 24 years old, the Texas native decided to take a chance and put his hat in the ring for a position as a sports editor in Tullahoma, Tennessee. As luck would have it, Birdsong would be chosen for the job and make a 14-hour move to his new job and home in Tullahoma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was very nervous,\u201d he admitted. \u201cAnybody would be nervous after moving somewhere where you don\u2019t know anybody and to a state 14 hours away from home. I asked myself, \u2018What have I gotten myself into?\u2019 But I was here and decided to do my best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the first things on Birdsong\u2019s list was to get on a personal level with local coaches. That relationship building was paramount to a successful start in a new position in a new town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of the things I did while working at the student newspaper, The Houstonian, at Sam Houston State University was to reach out to coaches to try to introduce myself,\u201d he said. \u201cStill, to this day, I think the best way to get great stories is by getting to know people personally. I\u2019ve had coaches over the years where we would just be talking, and they\u2019d mentioned something about their kids or other athletes doing something, and an opportunity for a story would come from that conversation. Those relationships helped me garner the trust that I had with coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building those relationships helped Birdsong become more acclimated and successful as a sports editor and discover that Tullaoma was becoming home for him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t even express what this community has meant to me,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the things that I\u2019ve appreciated since moving here is that the community has embraced me. It really has been a great experience.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n TELLING THE TCS STORY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Birdsong told the story of local sports teams, coaches, and athletes as a sports reporter. Now he has delved deeper into the Tullahoma community by promoting one of the city\u2019s greatest assets \u2014 its children. Birdsong currently serves as the communications specialist for Tullahoma City Schools, a position he said he enjoys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEven at the newspaper, I was getting to interact and highlight students,\u201d he explained. \u201cNow, in this position, it\u2019s still along the same lines, where I get to tell those student stories and highlight what is happening inside this district. There\u2019s so much happening in TCS that not many people are aware of that deserves to be highlighted. These last two years have been a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After a decade of living in Tullahoma, Birdsong said he is proud to call the city home and plans to continue positively telling Tullahoma\u2019s story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just want to tell the stories and positively impact the school district,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s my only goal in this position. I want to ensure that I\u2019m telling Tullahoma City Schools\u2019 story in the best way possible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n THE OTHER SIDE OF BIRDSONG<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Birdsong\u2019s talents extend beyond Tullahoma. Since arriving in the city, he has honed his craft as a photographer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I took the job with the paper, I was handed the camera and told good luck,\u201d he explained. \u201cSports photography is not easy, so I wanted to improve, and I thought going to concerts would be a great way to practice. I am also a huge music fan, and Tennessee is such a great state for music, with Nashville\u2019s music scene and Bonnaroo happening in the summer. Somehow, years later, I\u2019m getting to photograph all these mega artists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Birdsong photographed artists including The Who, Cardi B, Paul McCartney, Gladys Knight, and Carrie Underwood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s just crazy that I had that door open for me just because I wanted to get better,\u201d added Birdsong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Photography all around has become something that has become a passion for Birdsong. Through taking pictures, whether at a concert or a football game, he hopes to tell a story that will resonate with whoever views them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the future, Birdsong plans to continue to tell the story of those around him, whether through words or photography. To view his photography, visit his website at zbirdsongphoto.com. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chances are, if you\u2019ve played a school sport in the last 10 years or had a child who did, you know Zach Birdsong\u2019s name.\u00a0 Those of us who know him are familiar with the sights of him walking quickly down the sidelines wearing his beloved orange Sam Houston University baseball hat with a camera and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":17777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/tullahoma\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2023\/06\/3-17-1024x683.png\")
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