NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPORTS PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCERS

INSIDEAdministrators Reveal Their Expectations for P.A. Announcers 1

National Association of Sports Officials Becomes NASPAA Affiliate Member 4

New Member Feature: John Murray 5

Students Deserve P.A. Announcing Opportunities 7

Use Your Head to Sound Good 8

Being in the Right Place, Right Time! 9

Letter to the Editor 10

Are You A 2012-13 Championship Announcer? 10

NASPAA 1000 Club Seeking New Members 11

Who Are You? 11

Affiliate Members 12

JUNE 2013

Board of Directors

brad rumblepresident & executive director

tom buschsecretary

jeff kurtzp.a. announcer, kent state university

mark mills p.a. announcer, missouri state high school activities association

gary williamsstadium announcer, oakland raiders

THE VOICE

As has been stated many times before, consistency in

P.A. announcing is not where it needs to be. Why is that? In high school and college sports, coaches and officials have expectations that they must follow. Can you imagine officials calling games without using the same set of rules, or basing their calls on the fact that they have been making those calls that way for years, or doing things that would draw attention to themselves because they want some attention? Obviously, that would be a disservice to the game, players, coaches and fans.

Administrators know that, which is why there are rules which officials are required to follow. At the high school and college levels, officials are graded after each game. Calls that weren’t made or that were made incorrectly will be pointed out. This evaluation is an effective means of ensuring consistency. Those officials who grade out the highest at the end of the season are awarded the opportunity to officiate post-season competition. In high school, that could be district, regional, sub-state and state high school championships. At the college level, that could be conference championships, regionals and national championships.

So back to the question about why consistency in P.A. announcing is a concern. Like the example about officials, P.A. announcers need to know what is expected of them. This can be as simple as following approved announcing guidelines and knowing and executing the P.A. expectations of the sponsoring organization and the individual who hired or assigned them.In essence, this is their job description.

What are some primary expectations administrators have for their P.A.

announcers? The NASPAA invited some members who are administrators to share their thoughts on the subject. Below is what they had to say:

“We expect our public address announcers to understand that they play a key role in the management of the game or event. They are as important as contest officials in administration of the contest. A good P.A. person thinks proactively

and understands they have the ability to lead and manage the atmosphere of the event and the crowd. Their comments should be carefully considered so as not to be inflammatory or biased, as emotions run high at high school events and people can react to the smallest thing, such as mispronunciation of a player or school’s name or mascot.

We provide pre-game and game format information and announcements for our P.A. people to study in advance, but it is only helpful if the announcer does his or her homework and prepares prior to the event. P.A. people need to be well versed in the necessary public safety information specific

NASPAA Copyright Statement!is newsletter is copyrighted. !erefore, none of the content contained herein may be reproduced, shared in part or whole, without the express written permission of the NASPAA, unless in one of the articles the NASPAA indicates that it can be shared.

Administrators Reveal Their Expectations for P.A. Announcers

continued on p. 2

Athletic administrators need to set expectations with their P.A. announcers.

Gary Musselman

This issue is sponsored by Sound Director

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THE VOICEAdministrators Reveal Their Expectations for P.A. Announcers, continued from page 1

to the venue and understand they are the key person in directing everyone to safety in the event of an emergency.

If our P.A. announcers are involved in selecting background music for game atmosphere, we ask them to make appropriate selections for a high school event in an educational setting. We also want them to be mindful and respectful of school bands and their desire to play and make their contribution to their schools’ participation in the game/event. Finally, it is imperative the P.A. announcer be impartial in their tone and inflection and understand they are there to provide basic information about the game and not talk over live play during the game. They are not there to provide play-by-play coverage.”

Gary MusselmanExecutive Director,

Kansas State High School Activities Association

“Even at amateur baseball and softball venues, the P.A. announcer is a professional part of the ambiance and success of the event. It is important that leagues and communities that run our upper level events have

accomplished public address announcers.

Public address announcers are not play-by-play announcers. Their role is to announce the batter, starting lineups, changes in the lineups and ancillary announcements pertaining to the event. This creates a professional atmosphere and is exciting for the players, their parents and the fans.

Our expectations, even as amateur event managers, are that the P.A. announcers are professionals behind the microphone. Our events are intended to create a “big-league” atmosphere for our young players, and the P.A. announcer plays a huge role in providing that professional experience.”

Abraham KeyPresident and CEO,

PONY Baseball and Softball

“Public Address announcers play a vital role in any sporting event. They set the tone for the game and anything that comes along with the game. Two areas where I focus with our P.A. announcers, including myself, are

impartiality and emergency situations.

I want the visiting team to have the same scoring announcement that my team gets. The visiting team needs to have the same enthusiasm having their names introduced as the home team. The other focus is emergency situations. To me, the P.A. announcer has all the control. If they stay calm, the process of evacuating a stadium full of Friday night football fans will go a little easier. When emergency situations happen, it shows the importance of having pre-scripted announcements. In any event, the P.A. announcer needs to remember they are one of the first impressions spectators have and one of the last.”

Ryan Hartman, CPAAAssistant Athletic Director

Mechanicsburg High School Mechanicsburg, PA

“I expect my P.A. announcers to be professional and energetic. Professionalism is displayed from the time they arrive--to their preparation and to their announcements.

Do they properly pronounce the names of participants? Are their announcements timely and accurate? I want the fans to enjoy the experience, win or lose, and the P.A. announcer has a lot to do with that.

While the experience needs to be fun and informative, it also needs to convey the image we want. Finding announcers who understand their roles and who understand my expectations is important, because they represent me, since I hired them, as well as the school and in some respects our community. Just remember that the face we put on our events largely depends on the VOICE that we put on the mic!

Stan BradleyAssociate Director of Athletics for External Affairs

University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, MD

Shane Backhus

“The two main expectations I have for our P.A. announcers are to be a fair and unbiased reporter and to promote sportsmanship. That means being fair to

all participants in a sportsmanlike way when recognizing them.

I do not like hearing announcers who are so biased toward the home team that it seems demeaning to the visiting team and its fans. Therefore, I feel that is important for me to not only identify the expectations that I have for my announcers, but to explain them.

Even if announcers have years of experience, that does not mean that are good announcers or how they announce is the right way. That’s why I’m a proponent of administrators meeting with their announcers prior to the season to go over the expectations that they have for them and those of the state high school association. The experience is much more enjoyable if everyone is on the same page. After all, the most important part about high school activities is to have fun!

Shane BackhusActivities Director/Assistant Principal

McPherson High School McPherson, KS

Abraham Key

Ryan Hartman

Stan Bradley

continued on p. 3

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THE VOICE

“As the administrator and the P.A. announcer for the high school basketball and softball teams, I am bound by the rules of the high school sports governing body. I work closely with the athletic director to make sure that I am up-to-date on the expectations of the high school sports governing body.

My high school has two volunteer P.A. announcers, me and another alumnus of the school who has radio experience (he does football and baseball). The expectations for both of us are to remain professional at all times, abide by the high school sports governing body rules, and provide both game details and pertinent information to

the crowd, such as any venue rules. The three of us (two announcers and A.D.) meet quarterly to review any changes and what school announcements are to be made during sporting events.

Darrell JamesonAssistant Principal for

Curriculum and Instruction Marion High School

Marion, South Carolina

Administrators Reveal Their Expectations for P.A. Announcers, continued from page 2

GAME OPERATIONS sponsored by

Darrell Jameson

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THE VOICE

National Association of Sports Of!cials Becomes NASPAA Af!liate Member

The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), the nation’s premier association of sports officiating and

resource for sports officiating information, has become an Affiliate Member of the NASPAA.

“We are thrilled that NASO has become an Affiliate Member,” commented Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director. “NASPAA’s mission is to raise the level of professionalism of P.A. announcing.

A principle of the NASPAA Code of

Conduct is to respect officials. Since P.A. announcers and officials need to work

together, it is imperative that they understand how they can help each other.”

“Public address announcers play an important role in setting an appropriate tone for any contest,” said Barry Mano, president of the National Association of Sports Officials. “The mission of the NASPAA enhances the officiating experience for our members and for the officiating industry as a whole.”

Even though P.A. announcers want their respective team to win, they are not to say anything that would reflect negatively on the officials should a call not favor their team. Likewise, announcers are not to say anything positive. P.A. announcers and

officials are considered to be on the same team and should do whatever they can to help and support each other.

In the NASPAA’s new P.A. announcing manual, which is in the process of being written, NASO has authored a chapter about what officials expect of P.A. announcers. This informations will give P.A. announcers a much greater appreciation for officials and

the role that P.A. announcers play in helping officials administer games and events.

The NASO, which was founded in 1976, is headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin. For more information about the NASO, go to www.naso.org.

WANTEDBob Sheppard P.A. ANNOUNCER

OF THE YEAR

The NASPAA is seeking nominations for the Bob Sheppard P.A. Announcer of the Year. Only NASPAA members are eligible.

>>>>>> NOMINATION DEADLINE: August 1, 2013 <<<<<<

“P.A. announcers who follow the NASPAA Code of Conduct will definitely enhance their chances for consideration,” commented Glen Waddle, NASPAA NCAA P.A.

Announcer of the Year. “Yelling and being over the top won’t cut it.”

“The NASPAA Awards Program is a tremendous membership benefit,” remarked Brian McKiernen, NASPAA High School P.A. Announcer of the Year. Information about

the Bob Sheppard P.A. Announcer of the Year Award may be obtained at www.naspaa.net.

Barry Mano, NASO Executive Director

Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director

What’s the highest winning percent-age in sports? Try the world famous Harlem Globetrotters.

They’ve been dominating their arch rivals, the Washington Generals, for several de-cades now. Their record must be 10,000 – 1, and that one loss is even debatable, as the “official” scorebook didn’t agree with the results on the scoreboard.

Even with that winning streak, the Globetrotters bring their A-game, night in and night out. They’ve entertained millions in the U.S. and around the globe. These basketball ambassadors never get complacent, knowing that people are there to see their antics and skill on display.

When I joined the NASPAA, I was asked what tips or advice I had for others. My response—enjoy what you do and have fun. But stay organized and never, ever become complacent.

My reference to the Harlem Globetrotters is most relevant because I had the amaz-ing honor of being the P.A. announcer for a world tour for that team. Then, as a bonus, I was asked by their organization to an-nounce the game for the television show, Celebrity Apprentice. That was probably my biggest thrill as an announcer. Instead of voicing an event in front of 10,000 sports fans, my voice was heard through millions of television sets across the country.

Just like any other reputable organization,

when I looked at the position with the Globetrotters, they flew me out for an audition, and the biggest thing I can tell our readers is to keep your composure, stay professional, and try to not get caught up in the hype.

It’s the same for when you are working with any celebrity or star players. They are just like everyone else (in most cases), so keep your composure, act professional at all times, and do what you do best. Try not to get star struck and caught up in the moment. If you keep yourself professional and build solid relationships, one day it may lead to future high caliber events.

My current position is serving as public address announcer for the University of Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team. I’m also the field announcer for the CU football team. Over my 15 years in the business, I’ve also announced soccer, box-ing, volleyball, curling, rugby and baseball. The exposure and experience have also given me opportunities to emcee large productions and events.

Besides the Globetrotters, I was also honored to announce the Olympic trials, the USA boxing national championships, and the Churchill Cup.

There are always new events I’d like to be involved with. One dream, as a die-hard fan, would be to work with the Denver Broncos. That position is held by a great

mentor and really good guy, and I hope he continues forever. But working for the Broncos is a dream of mine.

That announcer is also the voice of the Super Bowl, and he is one of many that I have observed and listened to over the years. I’ve learned from them and have refined what I do behind the mic. It seems I’ve learned new things at each sporting event.

I would say that announcing has come naturally to me. I announce because I love the game and being part of something special. A sporting event has so much meaning to so many different people. Just look at the enthused faces of the young fans at a Globetrotter game and you will know what I mean. When you can be a part of that memory and that passion, it is truly a gratifying feeling.

My goal is to continue to earn a spot behind the mic at other great events and projects, both in the field of athletics and beyond. I love my career so far and just aim to keep doing the best that I can in my profession.

Of course, I never want to become com-placent. My advice to myself and others is standard, but it’s worth repeating. Make

THE VOICEJohn Murray, P.A. Announcer University of ColoradoBoulder, CO

New Member FeatureAllow Me to Introduce Myself

John Murray

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John Murray relaxes before heading to the press box to announce a University of Colorado football game.

Murray can be heard on Saturdays at CU’s Folsom Field.

continued on p. 6

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THE VOICENew Member Feature - John Murray, continued from page 5

sure to learn correct pronunciation of the players’ names! That way, you’ll never be embarrassed.

Well, at least you’ll reduce the chance of embarrassment. There was one time, and it was just recently, when I had been working out of town on a project. I got back to Boulder and hurried to my job as men’s basketball P.A. announcer on the University of Colorado campus. As I was introducing the home team’s starting lineup, I announced to a nearly sold-out Coors Event Center crowd that one of the Buffs’ star players was from Los Angeles---Colorado. Needless to say, I was a little tired that night.

I guess my advice would be—even if you’re globetrotting, make sure you’re rested and ready when you turn on the mic!During the basketball season, Murray announces Bu"alo games at Coors Event Center.

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THE VOICE!is article is the second in a series about students deserving P.A. announcing opportunities. !e NASPAA is an advocate for students being given a chance to learn about P.A. announcing. Hopefully, the stories of students who have succeeded at getting that opportunity will help inspire other students, as well as the individuals who hire and assign announcers.

My name is Zach Mackey, and I am currently a junior at Geneseo (IL) High School. The town of Geneseo is

about two and a half hours west of Chicago on Interstate 80. It is a typical small town where most people know each other and the community is very close. It has been a great place to go to school, get involved and watch games.

I was not your typical fan. While others were paying attention to what was happening on the court or on the field, I would listen to how the announcer was announcing the contest. Whether it was live or on television, I would listen to their delivery and what made them unique.

Listening to the best in the business helped me gain a basic understanding of announcing. And although I have always loved talking to people since I was young, it wasn’t until seventh grade that I really made a connection with announcing. Once I was given my first opportunity to announce, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue further.

That first announcing experience in seventh grade came about because the original basketball announcer did not show, so I asked if I could do it. My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t be able to pronounce all the names correctly. It turned out to be a great learning opportunity for me. I am thankful that I took the initiative to volunteer. Since then, I have worked hard to broaden my spectrum and announce many more sports.

I know many people would ask the question, “How can a seventh grader ask to announce a game and it just happens?” My situation was unique, as my father is the athletic director at Geneseo High School. He has really made it possible for me to pursue my passion for announcing. One day he did not have an announcer and I jumped right in without hesitation. It has

just grown and grown from there. He has always trusted me and given me many opportunities to announce.

Because sports are an important part of life in Geneseo, I have many opportunities to announce. Currently, I am the voice of Maple Leaf baseball and wrestling. I switch off with two other announcers in the winter with the basketball schedule. I do not announce in the fall because I’m on the other side of the mic playing football. I broadcast some home contests on Geneseo’s channel 50, our local access program. We also have a live streaming opportunity on the internet and we have a high school radio station which I have been assigned to help run. I also broadcast our nationally recognized wrestling tournament on Mediacom’s MC22.

If I could give any advice to high school students wanting to try announcing, I would have them contact their Athletic Director. That person is in charge of getting workers for sporting events. When talking to the A.D., make sure to mention that high school is a time for students to learn and student P.A. announcers need opportunities. Volunteer for a sport that doesn’t have a current announcer, like baseball or softball. Volunteer to announce for free. Sometimes schools cannot afford to have an announcer for a freshman basketball game, which might provide a great opportunity.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Reach out to P.A. announcers and broadcasters to see how the professionals work a game. Many of the announcers out there are willing to allow job shadowing and are great about giving advice.

I have tried to make the best of every opportunity. With the help of the NASPAA, I have been in contact with Mr. Jim Riebandt, the Chicago Bears’ stadium announcer, and had the pleasure of going to a game to listen to his announcing style. Mr. Andrew Belleson, the stadium announcer for the

Chicago Cubs, allowed me to be in the press box as well, as well as the legendary broadcaster for the Iowa Hawkeyes, My. Gary Dolphin. I had a great opportunity to shadow them all. By watching the professionals up close and personal, you get an opportunity to see all the behind-the-scenes workings. One of the highlights was being at a Sunday night baseball game with ESPN commentator Mr. Dan Shulman.

My dream is to be able to make a career out of announcing. It is something I love to do, and as the saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

I plan to attend a college in the midwest. There are some outstanding schools and I hope to make a decision by this fall. In the meantime, I will keep working on improving and perfecting my skills.

NASPAA has helped me tremendously in improving my P.A. announcing. I try to apply many of the principles of the NASPAA’s Code of Conduct. They have helped me branch out to other professionals in the field of announcing. The NASPAA’s devotion to professional announcing is unparalleled, I am so very grateful that they give student P.A. announcers the opportunities to grow and become the next generation of outstanding announcers.

Students Deserve P.A. Announcing OpportunitiesZach Mackey, Student Announcer, Geneseo High School, Geneseo, IL

Zach Mackey

Sponsored by Clell Wade Coaches Directory

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1. Think of your voice as an instrument. If I owned a Stradivarius violin, trust me, I wouldn’t nonchalantly toss it in the closest once I was finished practicing with it. The same practice holds true for your voice. Treat it with respect and you’ll get the most out of it.

2. Try not to strain your vocal cords. I never yell and scream at sporting events. I save that for my kids. Same holds true for social gatherings. No sense losing my voice trying to talk over all the background noise. Also, when I’m on the mic, I just try and be me....not some “Ronnie Radio disc jockey” trying to see how low and self important I can sound.

3. Drink plenty of fluids. Water and herbal tea are my “drinks du jour” I find they coat my throat best. I’ve learned over the years to avoid coffee or milk while I’m “working” since those kinds of drinks tend to give me cotton mouth.

4. Warm up. For me, the easiest way is to simply read some copy, making sure the mic isn’t on of course. Although if you’ve done this P.A. thing long enough, most of you probably have a horror story or two about inadvertently leaving the mic in the “on” position.

5. If you do feel a cold coming on, don’t panic. This too will pass. Easy for me to say, since no one is more paranoid about getting hoarse than yours truly.

Williams  will  be  entering  his  ninth  season  as  the  stadium  announcer  for  the  Oakland  Raiders.    Prior  to  joining  the  Raiders,  he  spent  10  years  as  the  football  P.A.  announcer  for  Stanford  University.    He’s  also  done  work  for  the  Oakland  Athletics  and  perhaps  most  importantly,  has  been  the  voice  of  the  Niles  Centerville  Little  League  where  his  four  boys  have  played  for  the  past  20  years.    In  his  real  life,  Williams  makes  his  living  voicing  TV/radio  commercials  and  corporate  narrations.    He  was  the  

San  Francisco  for  eight  years,  and  now  records  most  of  his  work  at  his  home  studio.    He  is  also  a  popular  master  of  ceremonies  at  events  throughout  the  San  Francisco  Bay  area.    Williams,  who  is  an  NASPAA  Board  Member,  has  conducted  three  NASPAA  Football  P.A.  Announcers’  Clinics.    On  Saturday,  July  20,  he  will  be  the  clinician  at  the  NASPAA  Football  P.A.  Announcers’  Clinic  at  De  La  Salle  High  School  in  Concord,  CA.    Information  may  be  obtained  at  www.naspaa.net

As someone who makes his living with his voice, I unabashedly admit I’m the world’s biggest hypochondriac. The minute I feel a cold coming on,

unmitigated panic sets in. I think I hold the

Guinness Book of World Records for the largest collection of over-the-counter cold remedies.

Fortunately, I’ve been blessed with relatively good health, but a least a couple of times a year I can feel that sniffle coming on and it’s time to race to the medicine cabinet.

For what it’s worth and in no particular order, here are some common-sense keys to sounding as good as you can once you step in front of the mic.Gary Williams

Use Your Head to Sound GoodBy Gary Williams, Stadium Announcer, Oakland Raiders

Spire Interactive—Official E-Learning Provider of the NASPAA

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THE VOICE

I have been fortunate to do something I love to do and by the accounts of others, seem to do a good job at. But as we all

know, a little luck AND being in the right place at the right time for someone to notice you also helps.

Beginning as a student in high school in Chicago in the mid ‘70s, I started to serve as the Public Address Announcer for Steinmetz High School football and basketball games. It was something I dreamed of doing since I discovered sports and the legendary broadcasters who described Chicago Cubs, Bears and Blackhawks games, namely Hall of Famers Jack Brickhouse and Lloyd Pettit.

Even then, my announcing caught the attention of various decision makers, as I

was invited to announce the Chicago Public League City Championship Baseball Game at Comiskey Park and, for the next seven years, the Public-Catholic High School All-Star Football Game at Soldier Field, all this as a graduating senior at age 17.

I pursued my Sports Broadcasting and Journalism career in college at the student radio stations at Illinois State University and later Columbia College in Chicago, and later worked in sports radio in Chicago in the early ‘80s.

I continued to announce Steinmetz football and basketball games and an occasional college and charity event until 2011, when things really seemed to take off.

For some 20 years, I was limited by my full-time job in municipal government public relations to only announcing about five Steinmetz football games, and another five public league games a year. That changed when I left government in 2009 and started pursuing a freelancer communications career.

I can thank social media, particularly Facebook, for the spark that led to now more than 130 events a year. One of my “Facebook Friends,” Emily Bouzarelos Vidas, who I attended high school with, contacted me about announcing her son’s high school homecoming game.

It seems the historic stadium where they and other public league teams played their games at, Lane Stadium, was being completely rebuilt and didn’t have a working P.A. system during that phase

of construction. Taft High School was renting a portable system for their game. I went and announced the game, and the coaches and parents seemed pleased with my performance.

Almost a year passed when I called the football coach, Matt Walsh and asked him if they would be interested in having me as their regular announcer, assuming the stadium was completed and had a working sound system. He enthusiastically said yes, and that’s where the next twists would take place. During the course of announcing their first two games, the stadium director and Chicago Public League football director asked if I would be available to announce all the football games there.

Mickey Pruitt, Director of Football Operations of CPS, then recommended me to the Director of Basketball Operations at CPS, who hired me to announce an invitational tournament at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Pavilion. It was between one of the four games at UIC that I was approached by the new director of athletic facilities at Chicago State University (CSU), who complimented me and asked about my availability to announce the Great West Conference Basketball Tournament. That was my “audition” for CSU, and along with Cougars Basketball, Volleyball and Baseball, I have added the Public League Basketball Championship Tournaments along the way.

Amazing how being in the right place at the right time and some blessings can work miracles!

Being in the Right Place, Right Time!By Mark FarinaPublic Address Announcer, Chicago State University Cougars & Chicago Public League Football & Basketball

Mark Farina

NASPAA DISCLAIMERThe concepts, recommendations and strategies offered by the NASPAA are for general instructional purposes only and should not be

used as a substitute for legal advice. While the information and recommendations offered have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, the NASPAA makes no guarantee as to, and assumes no responsibility for, the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such concepts, recommendations or strategies. You are instructed to seek the advice of your school’s legal counsel before incorporating

any such concepts, recommendations or strategies into the management or conduct of your school’s public address announcing program. Other or additional safety measures may be required under particular circumstances of your school’s athletic program.

THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

In no event will the NASPAA, its agents or employees be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information contained herein or for any consequential, incidental, special or similar damages.

THE VOICELetter to the Editor

This is Shawn Parker, new P.A. announcer from Rockville, Maryland. I spoke with you earlier this year

about needing some help with announcing basketball and lacrosse. Gratefully, you informed me that NASPAA offered a mentoring service and arranged for Richard Keller, CPAA, to be my mentor. I just wanted to touch base with you now that the basketball and lacrosse seasons are over for me.

I have had the most enjoyment I have had in a long time in announcing these games. My wife has even commented that she has seen a joy in me these last eight months that she hasn’t seen in a long time.

I spoke with Richard the night of the basketball all-star game that I was doing and that game went off without a hitch. Lacrosse started out not long after that and let me say that I really had fun. I was not only the P.A. announcer, but I was also operating the scoreboard. As instructed by Richard, I avoided WWE-style announcing. Everything was professional and up to the NASPAA standard of excellence. The boys’ coaches that visited Rockville this season were so impressed with my work that they asked me to be the P.A. announcer for the Montgomery County All-Star Game that

week at Walter Johnson High School. I never imagined that in my first year doing P.A. that I would be asked to do two All-Star Games! My motivation to hone my new craft has grown 10-fold.

Everyone at Rockville High, especially the boosters and football coaches, want me to announce football this fall. The AD has already asked me if I want to do boys’ and girls’ soccer. When I started back in September, I made an off-hand comment about becoming “The Voice of Rockville High.” With each passing week, that is becoming a reality.

I’ve been tracking my events and counting the boxing ring announcing, by the end of June I will be up to 40 events. Next stop, 100!

I am proud to be an NASPAA member. I have a link to the NASPAA site on my website and have been letting people know about NASPAA. I really wanted to go to the NASPAA Football P.A. Announcer’s Clinic

in July, but I will be attending my family reunion that weekend. Maybe next year.

I just wanted to let you two know how much fun that I’m having and that you have an active member here at your disposal. Take care and I hope to meet both of you one day soon.

Shawn ParkerRockville, MD

Good Afternoon Gentlemen:

Shawn Parker

If you announced a district, regional, conference, state, national or international championship during the 2012-13 school year, or non-school championship by 9/1/13, you qualify to be listed on the Championship Announcers page on the NASPAA website.

To be included, please e-mail the following information and your photo to Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director, at brumble@naspaa.net.

Are You A 2012-13 Championship Announcer?

1. Name

2. Name of Primary School/Organization for which You Announce

3. Number of Years You Have Been Announcing

4. Championship Event(s) Announced

Je" Kurtz, Kent State University P.A. Announcer and NASPAA Board Member, announces NCAA Women’s Division I Gymnastics Championship.

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THE VOICE

For an announcer, one of the most important milestones is serving as P.A. announcer at 1000 athletic games,

events or activities, including marching band and cheerleading events and competitions.Any NASPAA member who has met this requirement qualifies for membership in the NASPAA 1000 Club. If you have reached this milestone and are not currently listed, please e-mail the following information with a photo to Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director, at brumble@naspaa.net.

1. Year Started Announcing2. Years Having Announced3. Sports/Activities4. Schools/Organizations Announced For5. Significant Events/Venues Announced6. Occupation7. Residence (City/State)

If you are already a member and wish to update your listing, please e-mail your changes to Brad Rumble at brumble@naspaa.net.

Ron Henry, NASPAA 1000 Club Member, has been announcing 57 years.

NASPAA 1000 Club Seeking New Members

11

The NASPAA is interested in knowing about you. When the new website was built, a personal page was created for each member to provide information about his or her announcing history.

This information is extremely important as it helps the NASPAA determine the membership profile. If you have not provided the information requested on your personal page, please do so as soon as possible.

To access your personal page, you will need to log in. If you have not set a password or have forgotten it, when you enter your e-mail address, use Forgot Password.

Who Are You?

12

THE VOICE

Not A Member?

If you are a P.A. announcer or have the responsibility of hiring or assigning P.A. announcers, the NASPAA would like to invite you to become a member. The annual individual membership fee for adults is $30 and $20 for students. Schools may join for $69, which entitles them to six memberships.

“Whether you are a rookie announcer or a seasoned veteran, the NASPAA can

help you to become a better announcer, connect with other announcing professionals and

provide tools for self-evaluation and continued professional

growth in the ! eld.”

Je! Kurtz, CPAAKent State University P.A. Announcer

and NASPAA Board Member

For information about membership and the NASPAA, go to www.naspaa.net.

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