Needless to say, it has been a crazy few months, hence the lack of movement on this here blog. Not only did we launch the new website for Alberta Dugout Stories and a new blog site for Canes This Week, but I bought a house with my wonderful girlfriend and the world of radio news hasn't exactly been slow either. More on that in a moment...
But first, I wanted to provide everyone with an update on a little pilot project that I introduced you all too a while back.
READ MORE: Teaching What I Preach
Well, it's on! We had to delay it a bit because of some timing and the summer infringing on getting the word out. But early in the school year, the word got out and starting this week, I'll be taking four young people under my wing to show them the ropes on being a PA announcer and game-day host.
So over the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to figure out how exactly I'm going to pass on some of my knowledge to them. Admittedly, I'm a bit scared of the two classroom sessions we have planned. Part of it is that I'm more comfortable in front of 15,000 than I am in front of a smaller group like that. But the other part is making sure they walk away with the motivation and confidence to stand in front of their peers and talk.
I've been able to narrow it down to a few key points:
#1. Be prepared - I'm practicing what I preach here. On the drive to and from work, I've actually been talking to myself and preparing what I should be saying to them. I've been recording some voice notes with some key points that will serve as my "curriculum." I want them to get as much out of each session as possible.
#2. Be ready - anything and everything will come your way. If something changes, you need to go with the flow. Not everything is scripted (and in my case, almost nothing is really scripted when I'm hosting).
#3. Be thick-skinned - it's important not to care about what other people thing...to an extent. They should care about honest feedback and criticism. They shouldn't care about what might come their way in terms of what some people will say, particularly their peers. That's a tough hoop to jump through. But once I stopped caring about the opinions of those that don't matter, it made my job way easier and way more fun.
So I'll be chatting with the kids a couple of times in the classroom and then they will shadow me in my various roles with different teams over the next couple of weeks, with the hope that they'll be comfortable enough to do some things for their school in November and December. So fingers crossed, this will be something fun!
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One of the questions I always get this time of year is: where do you find the time to do all of this? I think I've finally figured out how and it's really quite simple.
I love what I do. Each and every game, I take a moment to breathe in the air and the atmosphere. I make sure to smile and really soak it all in. Very few people have had the chance to do what I've done. It would be easy to go home after a work shift and disappear. But you only get one chance to live this life, and I want to be able to tell my grandkids that I was "cool" once upon a time.
READ MORE: My "Other" Job
The other part is that I do believe in the power of sports. For many, it's an escape from whatever is going on in the world. It's a chance to unwind and it can transcend every divisive aspect of our daily lives. My small role here is simply to give the average fan something different from what they're getting at home. Whether it's a high-five, a t-shirt, a prize or just a chuckle, I've felt like I've done my job.
Where do I find the time? Easy. 24 hours in a day and I take full advantage of it. It does take discipline and the ability to say "no" once in a while (although I haven't said that word very often in the last six years or so.)
Will this wild ride of hosting end? Of course it will. When? I haven't the slightest. But what I do know is that I'll milk it for all it's worth. I might not say it enough, but I owe it to my family and friends for being so understanding but also so supportive of all I've done thus far in my career as the "Ryan Seacrest of Calgary sports hosting."
Let's continue to "Make Some Noise" and have some fun together, shall we?
