Recently I had the opportunity to speak to a high school class on the nature about sportscasting. The class was filled with grade 10 and 11 students who were being introduced to a variety of new and interesting careers. After I was invited, I actively wondered what an aspiring sportscaster would ask me. I remember…
Imagine having an immensely experienced sportscasting mentor available to you 24/7 in your own home. For Todd Vrooman, that was a reality with his father Dean working as the voice of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Vrooman Sr. was recently acknowledged by the team for 32 years of service to the organization after retiring in May…
We work in a business which relies on our skills to swifly describe what we see to those who aren’t in attendence, so it might feel counter-intuitive to read something to our audience. So I have to ask, is it okay to read a script to your audience? I say, at times, yes. I began…
In an ideal world, your broadcast prep would be expansive, detailed, well researched and organized in a way that allows you to easily reference or refer to notes during a key moment in the game. But we seldom live in an ideal world…and for broadcasters who find themselves on air multiple times in a given…
For many, Erin Andrews has become synonymous with sportscasting. A fixture on just about every network in the United States, Andrews hosts a wide array of programming, including being a side line reporter for NFL on Fox broadcasts. However the path for Erin Andrew has been extremely difficult, with several hurdles and incidents that she’s…
In the past decade or so, the idea of instant replay and this notion of constantly checking and double checking plays has had a negative impact on broadcasters. Some of the most significant plays are those that aren’t immediately apparent. Stay in the moment, and call the play as you see it and as it’s…
If you follow Sportscaster Life on Twitter, you may have noticed on Friday afternoon we sent out a tweet for followers to offer up topics for a future blog post. Joseph Matthew Orozco (@JochaDay) suggested talking about the worst sportscasting booth setups. It’s a great topic, we’ve all had to call some games in a…
Sports is something where anything can happen, and as sports broadcasters, we have to be ready for anything that might occur before, during or after a game. From injuries to weather delays to long stoppages, all manner of interruptions are known to impact the action…however that doesn’t even cover the tip of the iceberg of…
At times, being on the road can be rather stressful for a sportscaster. Whether it’s a new venue that you’ve never been to before or maybe it’s somewhere you’ve been hundreds of times but the Wi-Fi is always on the fritz or the vantage point is awful. In times like these, it’s nice to have…
Sportscasting for a career is a dream for many young broadcasters…especially at the major leagues. But for Jason Benetti, the path to the show not only took a few detours, but had more than a few road blocks. Benetti suffers from cerebral palsy which hindered his ability to partake in sports and band activities in…