INSIDEThe Glass Ceiling 1

Beauty and the Beast 3

The Legacy of Bob Sheppard

Continued Through NASPAA 4

Announcing Dance & Drill 5

Wrestling P.A. Announcing Quiz 6

He’s One of Ours 8

Announcing High School and College:

Same Venue, Same Expectations 9

NASPAA P.A. Announcing Records 10

NASPAA Affiliate Members 12

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

NASPAA Copyright StatementThis newsletter is copyrighted. Therefore, 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.

I’m not here to debate whether or not the glass ceiling exists in the sport

industry. It does. There are actually very few industries in which it doesn’t exist, but that is a topic for a different article in a different newsletter.

What this is about is bringing attention to a way that can make the announcing world better by shining the light on discrimination and encouraging change.

I also don’t have to tell you that the majority of P.A. announcers are older white males. Historically this makes sense, but does it make sense now? With the efforts to diversify the ranks of players, coaches and sport industry professionals, why has this not trickled down to P.A. announcers? My answer…because it hasn’t. But maybe now is the time to think about how we can encourage people different from ourselves to pursue announcing.

As a female announcer, I have had to deal with the glass ceiling and shatter assumptions about my ability from the instant I sat in front of a microphone. I feel good about my ability, so it has been somewhat easy. But now, after nine years of announcing, I have to fight this battle even more because I want to move into the semi-pro or professional ranks. I have found that when the person who does the hiring for a P.A. announcer goes looking for someone to fill a job, rarely do they scroll through their rolodex and search for a female candidate. Because so many P.A. announcers are male, that is the vision they have for an announcer, and that is who they hire.

It’s the people who hear me, and work with me, that think of me when they want an announcer. This is great at the college I announce for, because I get a lot of different opportunities. But what if I want to branch out and work somewhere else? Not so easy. I have to WORK. If you think you have to hustle, I have to hustle MORE,

and then I have to hustle some MORE. I have to convince people to not just take a chance on me (an unknown quantity), but to take a chance on a female. I think I may even have that a little easier because I live in a place with a strong female professional baseball P.A. announcer, Renel Brooks-Moon, of the San Francisco Giants and where a lot of people have positive views on female announcers.

I’m not saying that P.A. announcers don’t have to hustle to find work; we all do. I’m saying that it shouldn’t be so hard for those who are not white and male. We should all have to hustle the same-ish amount. That’s why glass ceilings should be shattered, because getting work, and doing what you love, should be based on your ability, not your age, race or gender.

So what can we do about it. Well, first we can recognize the glass ceiling, and know it is happening. Awareness is the first step. Then we actively look for those who are

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPORTS PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCERS

FEBRUARY 2014THE VOICEThe Glass Ceiling By Julie Myers, P.A. AnnouncerUniversity of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

This issue is sponsored by Clell Wade Coaches Directory

continued on p. 2

Breaking the glass ceiling is a challenge for female P.A. announcers.

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different from us and encourage them to pursue their dreams. When diversity walks up to us, we need to be open minded and welcoming. But don’t just stop there; pursue it, look for it, fight for it. Talk to hiring managers and pass on names of people who are different as fill-in replacements.

What am I going to do? Continue to be the best announcer I can be, work with NASPAA to encourage diversity in our workshops that we do, and find someone to mentor.

What are you going to do?

Myers has been announcing for nine years at the University of California at Berkeley, where she announces men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, baseball and women’s basketball.

Julie Myers

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Many of us have announced

two separate sports on the same day. But now imagine announcing two separate sports at the same time. This year, Boise State University hosted its 13th Beauty and the Beast event where Collegiate

Wrestling shares the same stage with Collegiate Gymnastics. This tradition started on Valentine’s Day in 2003 as a fitting event for this special day. Boise State was the first in the nation to combine these two events into one special, and in my role, one hectic night. This year, our competition included a battle of two top-25 wrestling teams and a triangular gymnastics meet with three top-25 squads.

For the first editions of Beauty and the Beast, we would have two P.A. announcers--one for each event. But since 2010, I have announced both events singularly. Preparation for this event starts a few days before competition as I scour the websites of the five programs involved. Pronunciations have to flow without hesitation because there is almost no break in the action. I am thankful the Sports Information Department understands how complicated this event can be and does a lot of legwork for me before the event.

Uniquely, one of the most complicated components of this event is the introduction of the athletes. Since gymnasts are introduced in whatever order they choose,

these are usually setup in advance, which allows our production staff to ensure that the gymnasts come out in the order that I announce them. The wrestlers are a different breed, as they are used to just being announced mat side and not having a formal march-in, so a little bit of production assistance is needed to get them ready to go. Since the gymnastics rotation is not required to be submitted until just before competition begins and the wrestling lineup can be changed just as fast, competition script development is usually just fill-in the blank.

Understanding that first and foremost this is an athletic competition and not just a production, the true value of sportsmanship and adherence to the rules to ensure a level playing field ranks extremely high with me. The second item under my constant consideration is the level of knowledge of

our fans. This event draws in at least triple the audience that normally attends these sports individually. With that, many new fans may not understand the nuances of these sports, so I have to ensure that what I am communicating is easily understood by even the most novice of fans. Balance in the needs of our marketing department and various promotions and sponsor reads, and we have all of our ingredients for a fun-filled evening.

Once the action begins, it’s all about keeping your head on a swivel and looking for action. The gymnasts fall into their routine of introduction, competition, acknowledgement and score. The wrestlers are more spontaneous with their announcer needs, so I spend a little more time watching that event. With gymnastics, however, I have learned to never try to compete for volume with the floor exercise, so while their music is playing, I just have to stockpile announcements and fit them in after that gymnast completes the routine on the floor.

While this event only happens once or twice a season, it has become a highlight of my announcer schedule and by judging the attendance of our fans, it’s an event that I think is here to stay.

Jeremy Peterson has been a P.A. announcer for 22 years at the high school level and 10 years at the collegiate level. He has announced the 2013 Mountain West Indoor Track & Field Championships, the 2012 Pac-12 Wrestling Championships, and more than 150 NCAA Division I events.

Jeremy Peterson

Beauty and the Beast, which features wrestling and gymnastics, is a fan favorite at Boise State University

Since 2010, Jeremy Peterson has been the P.A. announcer for the Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the BeastBy Jeremy PetersonP.A. Announcer, Boise State University, Boise, ID

Credit: Boise State University

Credit: Boise State University

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THE VOICE

“A P.A. announcer is not a cheerleader, or a circus barker, or a hometown screecher. He’s a

reporter.” This is the late Bob Sheppard’s definition of the announcer’s role. Sheppard, the New York Yankees’ Stadium Announcer from 1951-2007, is considered to be the greatest P.A. announcer, ever. The NASPAA’s P.A. Announcer of the Year Award is named after him.

“The Bob Sheppard P.A. Announcer of the Year Award represents what Bob Sheppard and the NASPAA are all about, which is professionalism,” commented Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director. “We are truly humbled to have the right to carry on his legacy by naming our award after him.”

The Bob Sheppard P.A. Announcer of the Year Award is given annually to an announcer at the high school, junior college, NAIA, NCAA and non-school amateur levels. High school and college student

announcers are also eligible for the award.

The nomination form for high school nominees must be submitted by the nominee’s athletic director. If a high school

nominee does not announce for a school, the nomination form may be submitted by the nominee’s respective state high school association. Nominations for college announcers must be submitted by one of the following; 1) school’s athletic director, 2) sports information director, or 3) a head coach. College announcers who do not announce for a school may be nominated by their respective conference, league or association. Nominations for amateur non-school P.A. announcers must be submitted by the coach of the nominee’s team or sponsoring organization.

Each nominee must submit an mp3 file of him/her announcing a game or event live. The requirements for the mp3 file are specified on the Awards page on the NASPAA website at www.naspaa.net. Nominees will be judged on being clear, concise, correct, voice quality and announcing (i.e., delivery and style and adherence to proper ethics--see NASPAA Code of Conduct), as well as professionalism. The selection committee will only consider nominees who demonstrate the qualities of Bob Sheppard. Being over the top when making home team introductions and their plays, such as three point baskets, first downs and touchdowns, or not announcing information correctly, i.e., “and one,” when a basketball player makes a field goal and is fouled--instead of saying, “shooting one.”

“As a public address announcer, being mentioned in the same breath as Bob

Sheppard is like being compared to John Wooden, Walt Alston or Vince Lombardi as a coach, or Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan or Jim Brown as an athlete,” remarked Jeff Kurtz, NASPAA Board Member and Kent State University P.A. Announcer. “There could be no higher form of praise in this field. It means you are recognized as one of the best at what you do. The standard for the award is high for a reason. Even though Bob Sheppard was one of a kind that does not mean that P.A. announcers cannot be like him. Those are the individuals who we’re seeking to honor.”

Nomination forms and nominees’ mp3 files are due by NASPAA by August 1. Selections will be made by September 1. The Bob Sheppard P.A. Announcer of the Year Award is sponsored by Clell Wade Coaches Directory and Balfour.

The Legacy of Bob Sheppard Continued Through NASPAA

Brad Rumble

Jeff Kurtz

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.

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In my 21 years of sports public address

announcing, I have come to realize that there are many universal expectations regardless of the event I am announcing. These include correct pronunciation of names and

organizing the constant information flow. In this article, I would like to focus on the unique twists that are common while announcing competitive dance.

Be a Good Juggler of Information Communication is always important for a public address announcer, but never as much as what I experience announcing dance. I will often have three different people simultaneously speaking to me. For example, the DJ who runs into a music snare asks me to stall a couple seconds. The event coordinator who acts as the director of the invitational pleads for a couple of more minutes as the judges need more time to tabulate their results. And a parent rushes to the table to ask if I can announce that they ran out of hot dogs, but more pizza is on the way, and there is still time to get in on the 50/50 drawing.

I always have several sheets of scratch paper and multiple colored pens representative of specific people. Usually my red pen is DJ notes and my black pen is the event coordinator’s announcements. I communicate with both parties that if they have any announcements for me, to please just note them on the sheet.

Fo-Net-Ee-Kal Names are VitalOne of the cardinal sins of public address announcing is mispronunciations; this is also one of my personal pet peeves (next to pleated pants). A P.A. announcer needs to communicate with the event coordinator well in advance to ask the teams to phonetically list all the names that will be announced on the day of the event (including the coaches). This is very important, seeing that there can be hundreds of dancers who I will need to announce at some point.

I usually arrive no later than one hour before the scheduled time of the event, and one of the very first things I do is get the event cards and run through the names. This allows me enough time to make sure that I can get any important clarifications that I may need. If no clarification is to be had, I will not announce that information during the event. I would almost rather omit the name of the captain than read the name incorrectly. That’s how serious I am about getting names right!

Keep the Information on Point and the Mood Light While Filling the GapsThere is potential for significant down time between events, especially during invitationals where the judges need time to tabulate their results. In a recent conversation with a former judge coordinator for North Dakota Association of Dance and Drill (NDADD), she told me that the average routine is under three minutes, and the judges work for a three-minute turnaround in their tabulations. The DJ is usually ready to play fill music while the judges tabulate. However, at the NDADD state competition, the event coordinators have asked that no music is played during this time, which can leave pronounced gaps of silence. I usually have 8-10 pages of announcements, but I need to be very careful to not overly dominate or just become white noise. I also,want to ensure that I keep the tone light but upbeat, especially when the competition is stretching over five or six hours.

Prep For the EndFor anyone who has announced tournaments, the end of the competition is when some of the most demanding work occurs. It is not uncommon at dance events to have a parade of athletes, to announce winners of door prizes, recap the judging criteria, introduce judge bios, and then read the results. I always have a couple bottles of water available, as this can be up to 45 minutes of uninterrupted announcing. I also ask the event coordinator to say a few words to the crowd at the conclusion of the event to allow me time for a quick trip to the restroom!

Dr. David Tack is the public address announcer for the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons (Moorhead, MN) football and men’s and women’s basketball teams. He is also an assistant professor and the coordinator of Secondary/K-12 education.

Announcing Dance and Drill CompetitionsBy Dr. David M. TackP.A. Announcer, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead, MN

Announcing dance and drill requires keen focus.

The average dance and drill routine is under three minutes.Dr. David Tack

Credit: MSUM Dragon Athletics

Credit: MSUM Dragon Athletics

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continued on p. 7

For the sport of wrestling, as with all contests they cover, sports public address announcers need to know

the rules, officials’ signals and the proper procedures. The following quiz is intended to test the knowledge of wrestling P.A. announcers. Questions for the quiz were provided by NASPAA members Bob Hoyt, Ron Mazolla, Steve Nontell, and Dorothy Mayabb. Besides having announced state high school wrestling championships and/or NCAA wrestling championships, collectively they have 95 years of P.A. announcing experience. Their bios appear after the questions that they submitted.

1. A superior decision, winning a match by twelve or more points, is no longer valid. True or False

2. In case of a tie in a dual meet, the first criteria for determining the winner is the team with the greater number of takedowns. True of False

3. A near fall occurs when:A. You hold your opponent’s back with

one shoulder to the mat for at least one second.

B. Your opponent’s shoulder is held to the mat for at least two seconds.

C. Both your opponent’s shoulders are held to the mat for at least one second.

Bob Hoyt has been a wrestling announcer at the middle school, high school and college levels since 2006. He has been an announcer at the NCAA D-III National Wrestling Tournament in 2008-10 and 2013-14. He also announces baseball, basketball, football, and track & field events at the

high school and college levels on a regular basis. Bob is a retired middle school principal.

4. Out-of-bounds calls should be made in wrestling, just as in basketball. True or False

5. When announcing the stages of violation disqualification, announcers should:

A. Confirm which stage of the process has just happened (first, second or third).

B. Avoid any mention, so as to avoid being negative.

C. Announce only when the third stage (the awarding of 2 points) has happened, as a reminder of the possibility of disqualification.

6. During the match, all technical violations should be announced as soon as they happen. True or False

7. When announcing featured dual-meet matches or tournament final matches, announcers should announce the choice-of-position status for each upcoming period. True or False

Steve Nontell has been announcing for 42 years. He has announced six Indiana High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Finals, as well as the Midwest Classic College Wrestling Tournament and the Indiana Crossroads Conference Wrestling and Track & Field

Championships In addition to wrestling, he has announced football, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, swimming, men’s and women’s track & field, softball, baseball, soccer, and the World Police and Fire Games.

8. When announcing the starting line-ups (aka Lehighs) always start at the lowest weight class. True or False

9. When announcing the winner of a match, always start with the home team’s wrestler. True or False

10. During introductions, when it appears a wrestler is receiving a forfeit win, what is the proper way to introduce him/her?

A. Joe Smith does not have an opponent tonight.

B. Joe Smith is getting a forfeit tonight.

C. Joe Smith may be receiving a forfeit tonight.

Ron Mazzola has been announcing wrestling since 1993. He announces wrestling for Old Bridge (NJ) High School, Spotswood (NJ) High School and Rutgers University. Additionally, he announces various tournaments throughout the season.

11. When announcing results of a match during a dual, you should announce the loser of the match. True or False

12. Special or personal announcement requests, such as recognizing someone’s birthday, anniversary or accomplishment, should be made, as long as you know the person making the request. True or False

13. When announcing the starting lineups of a wrestling dual, what order do you announce the names of the wrestlers at each weight class?

A. Weight Class, School or Mascot of Visiting Wrestler, Name of Visiting Wrestler, School or Mascot of Home Wrestler, Name of Home Wrestler

B. School or Mascot of Visiting Wrestler, Name of Visiting Wrestler, Weight Class, School or Mascot of Home Wrestler, Name of Home Wrestler

C. School or Mascot of Home Wrestler, Name of Home Wrestler, School or Mascot of Visiting Wrestler, Name of Visiting Wrestler, Weight Class

D. Weight Class, Name of Visiting Wrestler, Name of Home Wrestler

Dorothy Mayabb began announcing high school wrestling in 2000. Two years later she began announcing college wrestling for University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO), Lindenwood University (St. Charles, MO) and Missouri Valley College

(Marshall, MO). Her announcing resume also features three NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships and various USA wrestling events, including the Missouri Freestyle and Greco Wrestling Championships.

Wrestling Quiz

Robert Hoyt

Steve Nontell

Dorothy Mayabb

Ron Mazzola

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ANSWERS1. True--A superior decision has been replaced with the technical

fall. That is, gaining a 15-point lead over one’s opponent.

2. False--The first criteria is the team that has the fewer number of flagrant or unsportsmanlike points.

3. B--Two near fall points are awarded for holding one’s opponent’s shoulder to the mat for two seconds, and three points are awarded for holding one’s opponent’s shoulder to the mat for five or more seconds.

4. False--Unlike basketball, out-of-bounds in wrestling does not cause a major change of possession/position, and is not critical information (except, possibly, for blind audiences, such as blind schools which wrestle).

5. False--Most technical violations will not be awarded until the referee has stopped the match. And, when the referee signals locked hands, meaning that a technical violation will be awarded, they do not stop the match until it is clear that the non-offending wrestler cannot complete a scoring move (the ‘Free Move’ situation) that might be blocked by the locked hands.

6. A--This is an accurate and consistent way to fairly do it, and also provides fan education. Choice B might set new fans up for a shock if disqualification does happen, and choice C, while being accurate, sounds a bit too ominous if the announcement is only made then.

7. True--This not only reminds the fans of the status, in case of deferred choice, but can also assist the referee in confirming which wrestler deserves to be given the choice.

8. False--Start the Lehighs at the weight class where the match is scheduled to start.

9. False--Start with the WINNING wrestler.

10. C--Introductions are not official; coaches always have the right to juggle their line-ups (within the rules).

11. False--In dual situations, you only announce the winner; for example, “Your winner by technical fall, for the Falcons, Bob Johnson.”

12. False--Only announcements that have been approved by someone in authority, such as school administrator, athletic director, sports information

director or coach, should be read. Each school should establish its own procedure. Making personal announcements, such as birthday announcements, trivializes the event and opens the door for announcement requests for other types of personal announcements.

13. A--For example, “Wrestling at 106 pounds for the Ft. Osage Indians, Tom Smith, and his opponent, for the Staley Falcons, Joe Jones.”

Wrestling Quiz, continued from page 6

Like all sports, wrestling requires knowledge of the sport, rules and officials’ signals.

Credit: NFHS

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Last year, on Martin Luther King’s birthday, numerous boys and girls basketball teams from the Kansas

City metropolitan area had the opportunity to play in Sprint Center, Kansas City’s premier indoor sports venue. It just so happened that the ESPN Play of the Day occurred at the game that I attended. The fact that it was made by a player of our local high school team made the game even more memorable.

This year, I attended the game with my 26-year-old daughter, whose boyfriend

is an assistant coach for our local high school girls basketball team. No sooner had we found our seats when the announcer caught my attention by how professional he sounded.

I quickly scanned the scorer’s table for the announcer to see if I might know who was behind the mic. I immediately recognized that David Ceule was on duty. David is the P.A. announcer for Blue Springs South High School, is a Missouri State High School Activities Association championships announcer, and was the 2011-12 Bob Sheppard High School P.A. Announcer of the Year. While I had communicated with David by email, this was the first time for me to hear him at work.

Midway through the third quarter, my daughter leaned over and told me, “This announcer is good.” In light of the fact that my daughter

knows nothing about P.A. announcing, I was surprised by her comment. She added she liked his style and the way that he kept fans informed.

Listening to David announce was a treat. He is true professional and an ambassador for the NASPAA. It goes without saying how proud I am that he is one of ours!

Brad Rumble

David Ceule checks his roster during the Missouri State High School Girls Basketball Tournament.

He’s One of Ours!By Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director

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, 2014 <<<<<<

“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.

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For the past three years, I’ve been blessed to be an announcer for the Bobcats and Lady Bobcats of the College

of the Ozarks. Also, for the past two years, I’ve been the announcer for the School of the Ozarks (a preparatory high school) Patriots and Lady Patriots.

The opportunity to announce for the college came during the 2010-11 school year when I spent time volunteering and assisting our Sports Information Director with events. Even though I only announced a couple of volleyball games that year, she began to give me more games to announce and gave me more opportunities, including announcing five games during the 2013 NAIA D-II Men’s Basketball Tournament, which the school has hosted since 2000.

The opportunity to announce for the School of the Ozarks came about during the summer of 2012 before the college opened up the new school, which would be a college-preparatory high school to serve the area. It was during that summer that I got to meet the school’s athletic director, and I volunteered to serve as P.A. announcer, since I was also announcing for the college. The athletic director gave me the job, and I began to announce for not only the college, but also the school.

Since becoming the announcer for School of the Ozarks, I have learned that both levels are very different in competition. And despite the fact that the college and the school use the same 3,000-capacity gymnasium, the gym environments are

different. For the College of the Ozarks, the crowd sizes are quite larger than the high school. There are games for the college that there are as many as 2500 people in the crowd, which sometimes makes it difficult as an announcer to be heard when the crowd gets loud, which is why I have to always be loud and clear during those games. On the other hand, for the School of the Ozarks, a Class 1 school of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), the crowd size ranges from 100-500 people, which makes it easier to announce and to communicate the game to the spectators.

It’s also been a learning experience for me as an announcer at School of the Ozarks because most Class 1 schools in Southwest Missouri don’t have their own home game announcers. Not only do athletes from those schools get the experience of playing in a college gymnasium, and they also get to hear their names announced on the loud speakers. As a result, it’s my job to make sure that I show good sportsmanship to all visiting teams and to pronounce all names correctly to give the players, and their coaches, that positive experience.

The expectations for the college have been, in most part, similar to that of the high school’s expectations, maintaining good sportsmanship, respecting other players and officials, and announcing only when I’m supposed to. For the college, there is more expected to begin, such as making sure everything is ready to go and we start on time. Since I announce for a Class 1 high school, my personal expectations are still there, but for some of the games, there are times when the officials want to start the game without an introduction, making it more difficult for me as an announcer not starting off the game with an introduction, but I follow the official’s orders. Along with Missouri State High School Activities Association’s standards of Character, the NAIA also maintains a set of standards that are read before the beginning of each game.

To any student who wants to become a P.A. announcer, my advice is to go for it. Growing up as a kid, I was very shy and hardly talked in school, but one thing that stands out in my mind from childhood was when my family would have tailgate parties and watch hometown football on Friday nights Back then, I wanted to be like our announcer, who

had a loud and low voice. When I was 16 years old, my dream became a reality when I became an announcer for my hometown high school in Marshfield, a MSHSAA Class 4 school, and I’ve been blessed to be an announcer and to use my voice to serve others. Being an announcer has been an amazing experience, and ever since 2008 I’ve learned so much and gained so many new friends from announcing, whether it be opponents or athletes from our school.

Kenny Constable

Announcing High School and College: Same Venue, Same ExpectationsBy Kenny ConstableP.A. Announcer, College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO

Whether announcing high school or college, sportsmanship is a key expectation for both levels.

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Kenny Constable is the P.A. announcer for the local high school and college in Point Lookout, MO.

Credit: MSUM Dragon Athletics

GAME OPERATIONS, sponsored by

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As was reported in the January NASPAA e-newsletter, members have expressed interest in knowing which NASPAA members have set benchmarks for announcing events. From the

categories listed below, the we asked members to inform the NASPAA by e-mail by January 20 if they believed that they had achieved numbers to warrant consideration.

Below are the NASPAA benchmarks that have been established based on the information that was submitted. If you have an achievement that exceeds one or more of the listings, please let us know by e-mailing Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director, at brumble@naspaa.net.

NASPAA P.A. Announcing Benchmarks Established

Richard Keller Jeff SmithRon Henry

NASPAA P.A. Announcing Benchmarks

1. Years Announcing (at least 50 years): 57, Ron Henry, Warsaw, IN

2. Number of Athletic Events Announced (at least 1,500): 2,100 (in 30 years of announcing), Jeff Smith, Burleson, TX

3. Most Athletic Events Announced in One Calendar Year: 173 (2012), Richard Keller, Elkridge, MD

4. Number of Athletic Events Announced during 2012-13: 149, Richard Keller, Elkridge, MD

5. Number of National Championships Announced: 15, Richard Keller, Elkridge, MD Number of NCAA Final Four National Championships Announced (sport/years--see below): 2, Richard Keller, Elkridge, MD

• 2010 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament• 2007 NCAA Field Hockey Tournament

Number of NJCAA Final Four Championships Announced (sport/years--see below): Richard Keller, Elkridge, MD

• 2001 NJCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament• 2001 NJCAA National Men’s Soccer Tournament • 2002 NJCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament• 2003 NJCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament • 2004 NJCAA National Men’s Lacrosse Tournament• 2005 NJCAA National Men’s Lacrosse Tournament

Other• 2012 USA Field Hockey National Championship

6. Number of State Championships Announced (sport/years--Not Districts or Regionals): None Reported

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THE VOICEThe second edition of The Voice Above the Crowd, the NASPAA’s new P.A. announcing manual, is now available at www.naspaa.net for $64.95. The 378-page publication covers 22 sports and includes officials’ signals charts for several sports, scripts for all sports and a 34-minute CD voiced by Bob Davis, radio voice of the University of Kansas Jayhawks.

Unlike other P.A. announcing manuals that take a “This is how I do it” approach, approximately 75 high school, college and professional P.A. announcers provided input for The Voice Above the Crowd. The manual represents the core values and the P.A. announcing philosophy of NASPAA Affiliate Members, and is the only P.A. announcing manual endorsed by the NIAAA, NFHS, NJCAA and the NAIA.

Endorsed by

Second Edition

A Training Manual of the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers

A Training Manual of the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers

The Voice Above the Crowd Now Available

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 fi eld.”

Jeff Kurtz, CPAAKent State University P.A. Announcer

and NASPAA Board Member

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

National Interscholastic

Athletic Administrators

Association

Pennsylvania Interscholastic

Athletic AssociationOhio High School

Athletic Association

Mississippi High School Activities

Association

Missouri State High School Activities

Association

Kansas State High School Activities

AssociationGeorgia High School

Association

Tennessee Secondary School

Athletic Association

College Sports Information

Directors of America

National Junior College Athletic

Association

National Association of Intercollegiate

Athletics

National Federation of State High School

AssociationsIndiana High School Athletic Association

Oregon School Activities Association

Louisiana High School Athletic

AssociationAmerican Legion

Baseball

Michigan High School Athletic

Association

Texas University Interscholastic

League

Mississippi Association of

Coaches

Washington Interscholastic

Activities Association

Iowa High School Athletic Directors

Association

Kentucky High School Athletic Directors

Association

North Carolina High School Athletic

AssociationIllinois High School

AssociationPONY Baseball and Softball

California Interscholastic

FederationNational Association

of Sports Officials

Oregon Athletic Directors

Association

Affiliate Members

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The following associations and organizations are NASPAA Affiliate Members. NASPAA Affiliate Members share the same core values and similar P.A. announcing philosophy as the NASPAA. The NASPAA serves as the P.A. announcing resource for NASPAA Affiliate Members.