JACKSON – Heather Lifsey has been writing about sports for most of her life.

For the past six years, she has been doing so for the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald and Gates County Index. Because of that dedicated service to the schools of the Roanoke-Chowan region, Lifsey has been promoted to Senior Sports Writer effective immediately.

“Writing for the News-Herald has given me a chance to meet a lot of people in the Roanoke-Chowan area that I wouldn’t have necessarily crossed paths with,” Lifsey said.

She said she was also pleased with the relationships she has developed with both coaches and student-athletes.

“I have gotten to know the kids and the coaches, particularly at Northeast Academy where most of my assignments are,” she said. “I have seen the development of the program and seen the kids grow. As a sports writer, it is nice to see that.”

Lifsey began writing for the News-Herald in 2002 and has covered football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball and soccer for the publication. She has worked in all four counties.

“Heather has been an invaluable member of our sports staff,” Sports Editor Thadd White said. “We would not be able to provide the coverage we do if it wasn’t for the energy, enthusiasm and professionalism Heather provides us.”

News-Herald Editor Cal Bryant originally brought Lifsey in to work in the sports department and said he is thankful for all she has done.

“Since day one, Heather has been the type of reporter we can send to any sporting event and know she will do a fine job,” Bryant said. “She has covered some of the best events in our area and always reported them so that the people reading her story felt like they were there.”

Northeast Academy Head Football Coach Collin Sneed said Lifsey’s stories had been a benefit for his team.

“I want to say congratulations to Heather,” Sneed said. “She is a really good friend and really deserving of this promotion.

“She has been doing Northeast games for a long time now and we really appreciate her,” he added. “She has stuck with us through bad times and now the good times. She has always done really good job with football and with the rest of the programs at Northeast.”

Lifsey writes sports for the News-Herald during her free time because it has been a passion since she was in high school. Her full-time occupation is serving as an Agriculture Agent for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Northampton County. In that profession, she submits articles and columns to this newspaper.

She said she looks forward to continuing the work she has done with the newspaper.

“A lot of the kids I have covered I still am in touch with and still talk to,” she said. “The same is true with their parents. I am looking forward to continuing to develop those types of long-term relationships.”

Lifsey writes a twice-monthly column called “Corner Kicks” for the News-Herald. She joins Billy Harrell as the two senior sports writers for the publication.