RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JUCO PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCERS
BY: RICHARD KELLER
Richard Keller is the Sports Information and Marketing Director for Maryland JUCO. He has been announcing sports for JUCO member schools and local high schools since 1996.
For the typical fan attending a junior college athletic event, their only point of contact is the public address announcer. The announcer tells the fan more than just the score; they help explain what the fan is seeing and set the tone for the entire event. He or she has the responsibility to represent the home school, the athletic director and staff, the student athletes, the game officials and the conference through his or her words, attitude and voice inflection.There are some general guidelines that will help any announcer become more effective in helping the fans enjoy and understand an intercollegiate athletic event.
BE PREPARED
Just like the Boy Scouts, the motto of the announcer must be to "be prepared." The announcer must know the basics of the sport, especially the rules. If you are not familiar with the sport, talk with the athletic director, coaches and players to understand the sport.
Always arrive at least 20 (preferably 30) minutes prior to the event. This allows you time to meet with the coaches and officials and to check the microphone system. Talk with both coaches to determine their starting lineups. Make sure that you go over the name of every athlete. Do not assume that you know how the name is pronounced. If the coach is unsure how to pronounce the name, ask the student athlete to pronounce it for you. Use phonetic guides to help you with the name(s).
Make sure you talk with the athletic director, staff, coaches and officials about the announcing pattern for the night. Who is the home and visiting team (this may vary at tournament time)? Will there be a national anthem? Will all players be introduced or only the starters? Make sure that the officials know what you will be doing and when.
YOU ARE AN OFFICIAL OF THE GAME
While every announcer is working at the home team’s field or gymnasium, it is critical to recognize that you are an official of the game. You are also there to welcome the opposing team as a guest, not an adversary. Just like the other officials, your role is to supplement the competition, not to become the event.
What is most important is to be impartial. You should not use the power of the microphone to benefit the home team. Do not incite the crowd, giving the home team an advantage. Do not introduce the visitors in a monotone and the home team like a World Wrestling Federation announcer.
JUST THE FACTS, M’AM
People do not come to the event to hear the public address announcer (with the possible exception of his or her family!) The event is the intercollegiate competition among student athletes, not an event for the announcer to shine.
The key for the announcer is to give the fan more information than they would have without the announcer. For each sport, there is basic information that the announcer must project to the fans. This may vary from school to school depending on the desires of the coach and/or athletic director. For example:
Baseball and Softball
Starting lineups
At minimum, announce each batter by name, number and position
Pinch hitters, pinch runners, pitching changes, defensive changes
Possibly announcing runs, hits, errors and score at the end of each inning
Basketball
Starting lineups
After each basket – Team, number and name of the scorer; whether the basket was a three-point basket.
Each foul – Team, number, name of the person fouled, number of team fouls and number of foul shots (or ball out of bounds).
One minute remaining in each half
Timeouts
Lacrosse
Starting lineups
Goals and assists, time of the goal
Timed penalties
One minute remaining in each half
Timeouts
Soccer
Starting lineups
Goals and assists, time of the goal
One minute remaining in each half
Corner kicks, goal kicks and throw-ins
Volleyball
Starting lineups
Score after each point (10 serving 12 or name of school serving at 10-12)
Timeouts
Game and match points
Score after each game, match score
Regardless of the sport, announce upcoming games or matches.
BASIC INFORMATION, NOT PLAY BY PLAY OR COMMENTARY
Like many public address announcers, I am a frustrated play-by-play announcer. It is important to realize, however, that the public address announcer is not doing play-by-play or color commentary. Simply describe the basics of the play – do not embellish the description with comments such as "great shot."
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPORTS PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCERS
The National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers (NASPAA) has been established in the past year. The goal is provide leadership and education programs for public address announcers at the high school, college and amateur level. For information on the association, visit their website at www.naspaa.net. |
