Courtesy of Max Steele | The Crow’s Nest
By Max Steele
It’s game five of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa Bay Lightning center Ross Colton just netted the game’s lone goal to start the second period, edging his team one step closer to lifting “The Cup” for the second consecutive year. The horns blare, the lightning coils crackle and a packed Amalie Arena roars in approval. For most, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But for Eduardo Encina, it’s just another day in the office.
Encina is a sports reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, who’s dedicated the past two years of his life covering the Lightning and witnessed back-to-back championship trips in the process.
During that time, he’s learned the ins and outs of the franchise. Spending countless nights watching games, interviewing players and coaches, asking questions — more importantly, listening to answers — staying up to date with trends and familiarizing himself the culture, Encina has become a Lightning guru. He doesn’t even need jersey numbers to identify players from his press box view; he can recognize each by their unique skating styles and mannerisms.
What does he do with all this information? Well, that’s his favorite part of the job. He uses it showcase his team to the world.
“My readers get to experience the games through my perspective,” Encina said. “It’s a big responsibility.”
Since his promotion to lead beat writer in 2020, Encina is often the only Times reporter covering the team throughout the regular season, meaning his company and following are relying on him day in and day out.
He wakes up early to interview players and analyze injuries at morning skate, types his weekly newsletter and responds to emails while eating lunch and spends late nights in the media room putting final touches on his game summaries, long after Amalie’s lights have been shut off and aisles swept of popcorn.
Courtesy of Max Steele | The Crow’s Nest
Encina admits it’s a time-consuming lifestyle, but it’s a career he’s dreamed of since growing up in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Even when I was a little kid, I knew I loved sports and I knew I loved writing. I used to replay games in my mind and write down stuff. I’d do mock broadcasts of Orioles games and play-by-plays that’d I’d record on my tape deck,” he said.
Encina was never the most gifted athlete, and he wasn’t able to attend many professional sporting events. But when he stepped on the Washington Bullets court to receive an award for winning a sports writing contest in high school, Encina knew “this is something I want to do for a living.”
Encina then went on to become editor-in-chief of his high school’s newspaper, managing editor at The Diamondback at The University of Maryland and intern with The Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald. He landed his first sports reporting job with York Daily Record in 1999, joined the The Tampa Tribune in 2004, transitioned to the Tampa Bay Times in 2006, moved back to The Sun to work his dream job covering the Orioles in 2012 and returned to the Times in 2018.
During his time, he’s covered everything under the sun, including hockey, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling, NASCAR, hunting and more.
“They’re all very different. I don’t know if many people get to say they’ve covered that much stuff. I’ve always been one to stretch out of my comfort zone,” Encina said. “Now, I can kind of step back and be like, ‘Ah, I’ve done most of those things.’ To me, that’s probably the biggest accomplishment.”
When asked how he’s able to adapt and exceed in such different atmospheres, Encina attributes it to his natural introversion.
“The big thing is just listening,” he said. “I’ve always tried to not be the one that’s loud and in your face, but rather the one that takes it in and sits back and surveys the whole situation.”
This approach has proven fruitful, and is a major reason as to why players, coaches and fellow reporters respect and feel comfortable around Encina.
HIs success has also sprouted from his ability to think outside the box, create unique stories and capture priceless moments.
While all the photographers and videographers were preparing to focus on Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy getting swarmed in celebration for winning the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, Encina was recording the Lightning bench moments before the final buzzer, capturing the anticipation glowing on the players’ faces.
“I try to see things that aren’t the most obvious,” Encina said. “Little things are important to pick up on.”
Readers appreciate his coverage of issues outside the rink too, including a piece he recently wrote on the Lightning players’ thoughts on the NHL’s pursuit to enforce cut-resistant gear amid skate-related injuries.
“That’s a story that no one does unless they come up with the idea,” Encina said.
He believes maintaining a fresh and nuanced perspective on all topics is vital to keeping an audience engaged, especially with the monotony that an 82-game regular season can bring.
“Since it’s every day, you can really kind of get stuck in the grind. You have to fight that. Take a step back and be like, ‘OK, what are really the interesting stories here that I need to tell?”
And interesting stories will continue to be delivered as Encina lives out his childhood dreams. Stay up to date with his coverage at the Tampa Bay Times and follow him on Twitter at @EddieInTheYard for live updates during games and practices.
