The Democrat is thrilled to welcome Ehsan Kassim to its award-winning sports team.
Kassim, 30, will join as Florida State’s beat writer starting Monday and will work alongside current FSU beat writer Carter Karels.
Kassim, who was born in Coral Springs and is a 2018 graduate of the University of Alabama, previously worked at the Gadsden Times in Gadsden, Alabama.
The Democrat and Gadsden Times are part of Gannett — the nation’s largest newspaper chain with more than 200 daily newspapers and its flagship publication USA Today
Kassim has covered Jacksonville State football — including JSU’s miracle win over FSU last season — and high school sports in Gadsden. He is a big coffee enthusiast and likes to explore local cafes to explore different varieties. Ditto for chicken wings, the spicier the better.
Please follow Kassim on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim.
Kassim joins a Democrat sports staff that also includes Karels, Jack Williams, Gerald Thomas III and sports editor Jim Henry.
Karels, who joined the Democrat in January, most recently covered Notre Dame football for three years at the South Bend Tribune. He also focused on recruiting, co-hosted the “Pod of Gold Extra Point” podcast for two seasons and assisted with high school coverage.
Karels, a Texas native, is a 2018 graduate of Texas A&M.
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Williams, 24, joined the Democrat sports team in June 2021 as its editorial editor of the Devils Lake Journal in North Dakota.
Williams, a 2020 graduate of Ball State University and a native of Illinois, has worked with other publications across the country, including The Arizona Republic and The Indianapolis Star.
Thomas, a native of Savannah, Georgia, and 2020 Valdosta State graduate, joined the Democrat last April and covers FAMU football and assists with preps and community sports.
Thomas, 24, who played football at Bethesda Academy in Savannah, previously served as sports editor of the Bryan Count News and Coastal Courier in Georgia.
Henry, 64, in his second stint with the Democrat and its sports editor since 2014, has been in sports journalism for more than 40 years. He is one of the longest tenured FSU beat writers, covering the Seminoles since 1987, and co-authored “Tarnished Heisman” with local author Don Yaeger.
The Democrat’s sports team, which was nationally recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors, is part of Gannett’s Florida properties.
Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.
