Verne Lundquist Sports Institute at work

UT student broadcasters occupy booth, live-stream football games

James Grant, left, and Nathan Han pause during a broadcast of a McCallum High School football game last fall. As part of the workshop experience, the UT students took to the Internet, live streaming play-by-play coverage to McCallum fans unable to attend the games.

$3,000 Lundquist Sports Institute grant helps fund project
By James Grant

Before I participated in the Verne Lundquist Sports Broadcasting Boot Camp at the Moody College of Communication at UT Austin last September, I had no idea what kind of awesome opportunities it would create for me and other students — real-world practice and honing our sports broadcasting skills.

I truly enjoyed learning the ins and outs of play-by-play and production during the two-day boot camp. Thanks to Chuck Licata, Merle Bertrand and Suna Venkat with KMAC Sports/VYPE Live, I and the other campers were able to receive great one-on-one training in calling games, as well as an extensive overview of how game- day production works.

Chuck and Merle were invaluable in how they gave constructive criticism and advice on doing play-by-play. Meanwhile, Suna was extremely patient and helpful while walking us through the production phase that goes into a live game broadcast.

I learned so much from these professionals, as well as others who came to the camp, including Brad Cone (voice of Cedar Park Timberwolf football), whom I actually ran into just the other day.

Following the camp, freshman Nathan Han and I were assigned to be the broadcast team for McCallum High School football. We had a blast getting to call Knights games throughout the fall of 2019, and I know that we got a lot out of calling those games. We were tasked with researching team and player stats, gathering roster info, contacting coaches to set up pregame interviews, etc. That whole process gave us a better idea of what it’s like to be a sports broadcaster and all of the work that goes into a live broadcast.

Nathan was the color commentator and also handled production, while I mainly focused on play-by-play. But we both assisted each other in completing these tasks and producing live game broadcasts. We both agree that it was so much fun, and were truly upset when McCallum was ousted by Cedar Park in the first round of the state playoffs because the second-round game was scheduled to be played at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Overall, Nathan and I couldn’t have had a more fulfilling and fun experience calling high school football games last fall. I’m truly grateful to the people who helped put on the sports broadcasting camp at UT, including Michael Butterworth, director of UT’s Center for Sports Communication and Media; Kathleen McElroy, director of the School of Journalism; and Kevin Robbins, associate professor of journalism practice.

I not only improved as a sports broadcaster through the camp and calling McCallum football games, but I also made new friends and created lasting memories.

THE PARTICIPANTS — JAMES GRANT is a senior journalism major from Houston. He aspires to be a TV sports anchor/reporter, starting in small markets and working his way to Houston, Dallas or Atlanta, where he would have the opportunity to cover pro sports. NATHAN HAN is a freshman journalism major from Dallas. Nathan also wants to work in sports journalism, pressing to be a national writer covering the National Basketball Association.

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUPPORT ARE IMPORTANT. You can help other students experience what UT students did last September by clicking here to make a contribution to The Headliners Foundation programs such as the Verne Lundquist Sports Media Institute.

Learn more about the Verne Lundquist Sports Media Institute.