FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[Patrick Coleman]

I love that students have these opportunities and have them more than ever before with the advent of every contest being streamed. I got my start that way and at the student newspaper on my campus and I can promise you, if that newspaper hadn't been available and if I hadn't been able to make my own way to calling home games and some away games on the campus radio station, we would not all be here now on this message board.

I'm always in favor of students getting opportunities. (Not to say I don't appreciate Francis and Tracy.)

[IC798891]

Agree completely.

I firmly believe the D3 philosophy statement for athletics should extend to the broadcasts as well. A focus on the integrating the games as part of the overall educational experience and part of college life, as opposed to an entertainment product for fans. That means student broadcasters, with whatever drawbacks someone else sees.

I do think, regarding the "homer" aspect of it, it sometimes comes down to a disconnect to how your institution sees the broadcasts. If the school sees it as an extension of the athletic/sports information department, well, you're going to get a push for them to be over the top for the home team and vice versa for the opponents. If, however, the school is training these students for professional careers, you're going to see them doing a better (though never perhaps truly neutral) job, because they need to develop that skill. If they're homers, it's because that's what they were taught to be.

At IC, we always took it as a badge of honor if one of our teams didn't think we were being supportive enough. It meant we were doing what we were trained to do. And it's no coincidence that IC is so well-represented in the professional ranks.

If a radio station wants to have that added bit of "professionalism" in the broadcasts, go to a three-person booth with two students and one pro; let them work side-by-side and create an even deeper learning experience. There were definitely times where, as a student, I would get a bit overwhelmed, out over your skis, flustered etc, and having a pro next to me would have helped even more.

[JT2]

It took almost four years of watching my daughter play college softball (three down one to go) – from over 1,000 miles away – to realize that the gentleman who calls my daughter's home games (and does an outstanding job of doing so), also does the football games, the men's and women's soccer games, volleyball, men's basketball, women's basketball, local high school football, and was a sports anchor on TV in Cleveland. He's a volunteer. This is DIII. Not a tryout for the gig at Monday Night Football. I expect broadcasters at DIII colleges to be "homers" because usually these are undergraduate men or women volunteering their time with very little experience. I just happened to come across one of the best of the best in Ron Yantz. If you're getting upset listening to the opposing team's broadcasters calling the play-by-play of a DIII football game, I can pretty much guarantee that your team is losing.

So here's to Ron Yantz and any other DIII college broadcaster who volunteer their time and effort to make their local DIII college team sound a little more "D1"! And, lest we forget, there was a time, not too long ago, when your only option to hear a game called, was via your own college's radio station – that is IF the broadcasters were sent on the road to do it in the first place.

I'm well aware of how things are in D3, I can clearly tell the difference between a student and an adult (whether it's volunteer or not). My comment was in regard only to the CNU color guy (who I'm sure is a great person).

Rowan sports is covered primarily but students now via the Radio, TV, Film program. In the past we had Derek Jones who is a Director at the school covering the football games, he's now the voice of Princeton basketball you can catch him on ESPN covering Princeton.

Derek (I call him the voice, he has a great deep tone and delivery) glad he's working DI. John Sadak is the play-by-play guy for the Reds on TV. He is great, his Elly De La Cruz calls are awesome. Rowan announcers are doing well.

IMHO Rowan TV student sports broadcasters have upped their game. They know offenses. They know defenses. Pregame and postgame are very good. They used to be quite bad, so bad that I would watch the streaming, while listening to the Rowan radio feed. Camera work has gotten so much better, also they have more cameras.

[JT2]

Agree completely.

I firmly believe the D3 philosophy statement for athletics should extend to the broadcasts as well. A focus on the integrating the games as part of the overall educational experience and part of college life, as opposed to an entertainment product for fans. That means student broadcasters, with whatever drawbacks someone else sees.

I do think, regarding the "homer" aspect of it, it sometimes comes down to a disconnect to how your institution sees the broadcasts. If the school sees it as an extension of the athletic/sports information department, well, you're going to get a push for them to be over the top for the home team and vice versa for the opponents. If, however, the school is training these students for professional careers, you're going to see them doing a better (though never perhaps truly neutral) job, because they need to develop that skill. If they're homers, it's because that's what they were taught to be.

At IC, we always took it as a badge of honor if one of our teams didn't think we were being supportive enough. It meant we were doing what we were trained to do. And it's no coincidence that IC is so well-represented in the professional ranks.

If a radio station wants to have that added bit of "professionalism" in the broadcasts, go to a three-person booth with two students and one pro; let them work side-by-side and create an even deeper learning experience. There were definitely times where, as a student, I would get a bit overwhelmed, out over your skis, flustered etc, and having a pro next to me would have helped even more.

At least a few DIII schools have pro TV football announcers (this is for informational purposes):

1. Saint John's University — Minnesota
2. University of Mount Union — Ohio
3. Christopher Newport University — Virginia
4. Washington & Jefferson College — Pennsylvania
5. North Central College — Illinois