Opinion: Kindness is always welcome, even in places where one does not always find it

An interaction between a football coach and a journalist brought interesting reactions, and reporter Paul Valencia is grateful that the local journalist in Florida reminded all of us that there is always room for kindness

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

It was a 20-second clip on social media.

It should have been 20 seconds of a beautiful exchange, between a reporter and a coach. Two people showing respect to one another. 

Of course, this is 2026, so there is no such thing, right? It can’t only be 20 seconds of kindness.

Almost immediately, curmudgeons pounced with their faux outrage. 

This reporter was out of line, they said.

A journalist cannot be taking the time during a press conference for a pep talk, they said.

Of course, “they” are wrong, because it is never wrong to be kind.

This national sports moment also brings me back home to Southwest Washington, and our role at Clark County Today.

No, not everything we write about is warm and fuzzy. Cold, hard facts are not warm and fuzzy. And when our opinion pieces are posted, based on facts and/or beliefs of the author, well, they can hit hard.

That is the job as reporter, columnist … journalist.

I also have another role, too. As a member of this community, I want to be kind, respectful. Even if I also have to ask some challenging questions. 

There were likely dozens of journalists working that press conference in Florida. There were a bunch of questions regarding the game. Why did the coach do this? Or that? What happened here or there? And those questions would continue during the following days. Football coaches often have multiple media availability sessions during the week, including the week after a season concludes.

One journalist, who I later found out has been working in Jacksonville for close to 20 years, took all of 20 seconds to compliment the coach and the team. Because she is a member of that community — not some national journalist just in for the weekend — she knew just how much that football team meant to her community. 

Her actions did not stop anyone else from asking about the game. It was simply 20 seconds to say “thank you.”

As someone who worked in sports and sports-only for so long, you would be surprised at how many sports reporters cannot stand sports fans. So anyone in a press conference “acting” like a fan is frowned upon. 

Me? I don’t think she was acting like a fan. She was representing her readers. Her community probably wanted someone in that press conference to remind the coach that even in defeat, the community still appreciated the effort.

This was a time for hard questions about the game, but it also could include 20 seconds of genuine appreciation. 

Back here in Clark County, I have transitioned from a full-time sports reporter to a Jack-of-all-trades reporter. Years ago, I would never have imagined this career turn. I am reporting the news of our community, which means talking to area politicians.

There are times when tough questions have to be asked. There are also times when a word of encouragement is the correct path. 

I assure you that some of our local leaders have not wanted to hear some of my questions. 

They also understand that many of my questions will come from the conservative point of view. That is part of Clark County Today’s mission, to be a voice for conservatives in the county.

I also know that some of our readers would want me to be more aggressive, more in-your-face. Sorry, that is not my style. 

I ran into a local progressive politician at the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in November. I gave him a compliment about how he explained his position regarding the composition of the C-TRAN Board of Directors. Was it a position I favored? Absolutely not, but I appreciated his passion and his explanation. We spent the next few moments talking about our favorite sports teams. It was an evening of celebration, not a time for a back-and-forth.

It was a time for kindness.

A while back, I surprised the mayor of Vancouver with a couple of challenging questions just after another celebratory event. In my defense, I had cleared it with the mayor’s staff that I would be changing the subject. I thought the mayor knew that I was about to ask some questions on a different matter. The mayor did not get that message. So she was taken aback when I walked with her to discuss my agenda at that moment. 

You know what happened? The mayor was kind. She didn’t tell me that I was out of line. She realized it was a communication error, and then she answered my questions that day.

Not every interaction between a journalist and a politician has to be confrontational. 

Certainly not every press conference after a football game has to be doom and gloom for the losing team. 

To the journalist in Jacksonville, thank you for reminding us that kindness still has a place in our world.

To our readers, I ask that you push me to keep asking our leaders the tough questions. But please understand that while there is a time and place for all sorts of interactions, my baseline will always be kindness and respect toward those leaders.