Broadcasting event places students on field, in booth with professionals

Jackson Phelps made a promise to himself in his youth that if he could no longer play sports for the rest of his life, then he wanted to work alongside them.

“I realized it’s what I want to do at a young age,” he said. “I feel like when I was playing ‘Madden’ and sports video games, I was always commentating them.”

Phelps, a junior mass media major from Kansas City, Missouri, and two other Northwest Missouri State University students got the opportunity to see the sports broadcasting profession up close and networked with industry professionals during the Missouri Broadcasters Association’s (MBA) Sportscasters’ Forum earlier this fall.

Organized by John Rooney, the radio voice of the St. Louis Cardinals, the September event at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village in St. Louis allowed the students to hear from professionals, receive résumé and portfolio critiques, and network with other students around Missouri with similar interests.

Panel discussions featured Tommy Thrall, the radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds and a Northwest alumnus with Cardinals television announcer Chip Caray and Cardinals radio announcer Ricky Horton.

The students also were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the broadcast operations of a St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds baseball game.

At Northwest, Phelps provided sideline reporting during the football season for the Bearcat Radio Network, serves as the sports director for KZLX, Northwest’s student-led radio station, and hosts the Bearcat Update on KNWT, the University’s student-managed television station.

“Radio here was the avenue to get play-by-play and broadcasting experience,” Phelps said. “I’ve loved it. It taught me to describe a bit more and understand the game a little more. You gotta have a better sense of what’s going on, so radio’s done a great job with that as well.”

Although sports broadcasting can be competitive, the professionals reminded Phelps to stay positive and enjoy the process. He also received tips to improve his work.

“Just have fun with what you’re doing,” he said. “I would say that’s probably the most important thing. Yes, this industry can be kind of cutthroat at times, but if you’re having fun while you’re doing it, it’ll make the job 10,000 times less stressful.”

Wiley Ray, a senior broadcast productions major from Orient, Iowa, also attended the Sportscasters’ Forum. He has gained experience by broadcasting sports at the high school level for the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) and the college level for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

“I’ve seen the different levels,” he said. “I’ve called high school. I’ve called college. Now getting to see it at the professional level definitely shows that hard work can put you in a position to be successful.”

Observing the radio announcers during the Reds-Cardinals baseball game helped Ray view it from a different perspective. Conversing with Thrall also reminded Ray of the unique profession-based opportunities available to Northwest students.

“Getting to sit with alumni Tommy Thrall in his booth while he was calling just kind of shows the success that the media department here at Northwest has and the bright future it can provide for many students,” he said. “Northwest has a hidden gem here, and I truly believe the mass media department is second to none in the state. Having all these opportunities is amazing for any student to have.”

Gabe Porter, a sophomore sports media major from Oak Grove, Missouri, got involved with Northwest’s student media outlets early upon arriving at Northwest. The sportscaster event solidified his passion for radio and broadcasting.

“It gave me a different view of how I broadcast and how I approach calling games,” he said. “It taught me a lot about preparation — not only preparing for games, but also for my classes, projects and everything else I have to do within media.”

Porter learned about the complexities of sportscasting and enjoyed getting advice from professionals such as Thrall and Caray.

“The sports industry is growing,” Porter said. “Everyone wants to be in sports, so you really have to show out. You have to go above and beyond, or else it’s not necessarily going to work out for you. You’ve got to be willing to put yourself out there and try something new.”

The MBA serves more than 375 radio and television stations, with the mission of promoting the success and prosperity of Missouri’s broadcasters. It also funds scholarship programs for high school and college students pursuing broadcasting.

The Northwest student attendees were recommended by John Coffey, the station manager for Northwest’s National Public Radio affiliate, KXCV-KRNW and a veteran of the broadcasting industry.

“As much as hard work is important to be a success, networking is crucial,” Coffey said. “While it’s an incredibly competitive business, sportscasters are eager to help those just getting into the business and the more people in the business they know, the better the odds of getting the job they want after graduation.”