Meet Dave Purpura of The Columbus Dispatch, high school sportscaster

(Editor’s note: This article is part of a weekly series about Columbus Dispatch journalists and their work in our community.)

Dave Purpura covers high school sports for The Columbus Dispatch, tracking the performance of teams and athletes at more than 100 schools in central Ohio.

Purpura is a graduate of Independence High School and the University of Toledo. Purpura’s 24-year career includes several awards from the Associated Press Society of Ohio and the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association, among others. He also writes The Dispatch’s weekly high school sports newsletteran online exclusive for subscribers.

Below he answers some questions about his work.

Why I became a journalist

I have always enjoyed writing (and talking) and my original career goals were focused on the latter. From the age of five or six I wanted to be a sports reporter. When our family would be present Cincinnati Reds games, I used to listen to the game on a transistor radio and pay equal attention to it Marty Brennaman And Joe Nuxhall in the broadcast booth, just like I did with the players on the field. I spent two years as sports director of the University of Toledo student radio station in the late 1990s, but when it came time to graduate, my contributions to the student newspaper paid off. Newspapers called faster than radio stations, and lo and behold, I’ve been writing for almost 25 years.

I still get paid to talk occasionally since I’m our host Central Ohio High School Sports Awards every year in June.

What I like most about my job

The variety and the chance to tell fun stories. Personality pieces have long been my favorites. And when it comes to high school sports, if you’re ever ready for one season to end, the next one is just around the corner. I’m grateful that over a quarter century of covering high school sports, I’ve met a lot of interesting people, and that pipeline isn’t drying up anytime soon.

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A story I worked on that has had a lasting impact on me

This one was fun and personal at the same time.

Photojournalist Barbara Perenic and I had the opportunity in September 2023 to travel to tiny Maria Stein, Ohio, home of Ohio football powerhouse Marion Local. The Flyers entered that season on a 48-game winning streak and 14 state championships, all since 2000, and appear poised to win No. 15. What makes it so remarkable is that almost 90% of the boys at school play football and there is no youth program there.

Why is it so personal? Some of my fondest childhood memories come from visiting my grandparents in nearby St. Marys, one of the many cities in that region with its own strong football pedigreeand I spent that beautiful Friday afternoon and evening traversing many of the same roads that went to and from Maria Stein as Grandpa and I rode during my childhood just to have something to do.

Several surnames on the Marion Local roster were familiar to me, even though I didn’t know any of the players personally. The work ethic and sense of heritage are strong throughout, but for me they were particularly acute that evening, something I don’t always experience, even when working in my hometown.

Dave Purpura’s deep dive: Football giant Marion Local towers over Ohio from the rural farming town of Maria Stein

Remarkable people I met or interviewed as a journalist

Archie Griffin, Jim Lachey, Paul KeelsJoe Nuxhall and Jim Tressel immediately come to mind. As an unapologetic Buckeye fan (they are my home team, after all), that certainly led to a few “pinch me” moments.

As for the “I knew them then” moment, it might belong to a quarterback I covered at Houston’s Stratford High School early in a 26-month stint in the Lone Star State. I introduced myself to that signal caller after a huge game, told him I had just moved from Ohio and before I could ask a question he happily said his dad was from Cleveland and asked about my path. Perhaps he sensed some nostalgia on my part. More likely it was a truly selfless nature.

His name? Andrew’s luckfuture No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.

The biggest challenge I face as a journalist

It’s simple: unreturned messages. They are the worst, and ultimately, deserving athletes don’t get proper coverage if others don’t fight for them. With over 100 high schools in our coverage area, it is a fact that coaches and athletic directors also serve as publicists. I cannot count how many excellent ADs and coaches I have had the pleasure of mentoring over the past 24 years. I wish they would teach everyone.

And one more: I don’t get the chance to write every story I want.

What I like to do when I’m not working

Spend time with my family and friends – at least if they can make the time, as we are at the age when many are going through that hectic teenage phase – walking, playing golf (not as much as I would like, and therefore not as good) and sports to look. Lots of sports. I’m also fascinated by the weather, and storms always catch my attention. Perhaps my highest bucket list item is visiting every current Major League Baseball park. I’ve been sitting on a dozen for too long now.

Favorite Columbus-area event or tradition

I think Ohio State football counts as a tradition in the Columbus area, so that’s my choice. I go to games if I’m lucky enough to get a ticket, and it’s a communal experience that goes beyond the game itself. My wife and I go every year Dublin Irish festival, Columbus and Pickerington Oktoberfests and the Columbus Italian festival. A combination of the food, drinks, music and people keeps us coming back.

Why journalism matters

Because it gives me and my colleagues the opportunity to share your stories. The subject is the expert. I’m just the person who puts the right words into their story. If someone chooses me for this and is happy with the result, that is a huge honor. I have never considered myself an activist or an agent of change. I like to tell stories, and if something good comes from it, so much the better.

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