Sports announcing is a passion of mine. The passion developed in my teenage years when I started announcing games for Solon Educational Television. Being behind a microphone and doing play-by-play excited me then and still excites me to this day.
I continued to announce games throughout college but the gigs dried up when I graduated and entered "the real world." I got my first job out of college as a salesman and had to learn how to make deals, bring in business, and be an adult.
This transition was not easy for me. Going from college student to working adult was harder than I imagined. I went to work each week and didn't create a life for myself outside of work. There were no opportunities to call games and I struggled with trying to find a balance in my life.
I eventually changed jobs and slowly started building a life for myself outside of work. I started taking up photography by taking pictures at local Solon High School football games and sporting events. I didn't know it then but this would eventually pave the way to get behind the microphone again.
It was New Year's Eve and a Facebook message from a neighbor down the street got me behind the microphone again. I was asked if I could do play-by-play for a Solon hockey game. It took me a second or two for it to register but the opportunity to announce again fell right into my lap.
The first gig back was rusty but I didn't care. Taking the time to create notes for the announcing gig, learning the rosters, and being back behind the microphone reminded me how much I missed and still loved calling the games.
This opportunity paved the way for me to call other Solon sports such as wrestling, volleyball, and basketball. Similar to that hockey game, being behind the microphone made me happy and I realized my passion for calling games was still strong.
Football had been my main sport to announce in high school and the opportunity to call games from the press box inside Solon's Stewart Field eventually fell into my lap. I served as a fill in color commentator for Solon's home opener one season and a year after that, I was back doing play-by-play for every Friday home game. Being back in the same press box I developed my passion for calling games makes me feel grateful I can still do what I love.
These announcing jobs for Solon eventually paved the way for other opportunities to do public address announcing. The public address announcing is different from announcing on television but is just as fun for me.
I think back to where I was before that Facebook message on New Year's Eve a few years ago. A special part of my life had been dormant for a long time and I often wondered if I would ever get a chance to announce another sporting event. I didn't realize it at the time but that Facebook message has made me thankful for the doors it has opened up.
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