ABOVE: Former U of I public address announcer Jim Sheppard chats with Sports Media Camp students and instructor RJ Crace during an afternoon session at Danville Area Community College.
It was 30 years ago next year that former WDAN – D102 – K-Rock General Manager Mike Hulvey put together the kind of sports media camp that he would have loved to have during his days growing up as a prospective sports announcer.
And three decades later, the tradition continues. During the week of June 16th, as part of the Danville Area Community College summer “College for Kids” program, the Sports Media Camp at DACC rode once again.
With broadcasters/writers RJ Crace, Eric Westfall, Steve Brandy, and Chad Dare leading the way; the students learned about the modern day world’s wide range of opportunities in sports media through various technologies.
Guest speakers included former U of I Public Address announcer Jim Sheppard; local author, and a former camper himself, Rob Witzel; and WMBD-TV (Peoria) sports director and Illinois State Redbirds TV announcer Kurt Pegler.
(1st Picture) Kyler Stanis and Holden Hightower contemplate their next answer in a game of Sports Jeopardy. (2nd Picture) Chad Dare unveils the next Sports Jeopardy question. (3rd Picture) Avery Barbee and Lincoln Macklin, behind in the game, consider their next move.
As always, a major highlight of the week was campers getting to work on both play-by-play and public address skills at a Danville Dans game. While awaiting their next turns during Thursday (June 19th) night’s Dans game against the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp at Danville Stadium, Lincoln Macklin and Avery Barbee reflected on their weeks. Macklin, at the camp for the first time, said it was everything he’d hoped for.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: So actually my boss from the Dasher Hockey Club got me into media and into broadcasting, and when I saw online that DACC was doing a media camp, I told my mom “I want to do this.” The first day I walked in, I told myself, “This is going to be the most fun class I’ve ever done in my life.” And I enjoyed every second of it. Just being up in the box; talking to the audience. This is where I should be.
On the final day of Sports Media Camp in the WDAN – D102 – K-Rock conference room, instructor RJ Crace poses with campers (clockwise) Avery Barbee, Holden Hightower, Lincoln Macklin, and Braelin Van Leer.
For Avery Barbee, who was in the camp last year; there were some new things he learned this time around.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: One thing I picked up from everybody, two things; is being prepared, and never saying no. A lot of our instructors have done crazy different things; from doing sports they’ve never even heard of, to doing stuff that didn’t involve sports. So it’s pretty cool to see how never saying no can get you from something you don’t like to something you do like.
Other sports media campers this year were Holden Hightower, Kyler Stanis, Owen Palmer, and Braelin Van Leer.
