Blog

The Best Sportscasting Job You’ll Have

Melodie Turori

When I was in my first sportscasting job in McPherson, KS, I let my car run out of oil. I was making $18,000 a-year; I couldn’t pay to get it fixed out of my salary. I had to use the money I received for health insurance, then pray I didn’t hurt myself.

Minuscule salaries are one thing we hate about entry-level sports broadcasting jobs. But I want to share with you two reasons why your first job might be the best sportscasting job you’ll ever have.
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Posted in: My Career

Top Tips For Landing Your First Sportscasting Job

Jon Chelesnik

When I graduated from the Princeton of the Plains, Kansas State University, I thought I was going to immediately get a sportscasting job.

Nope.

It took seven months. I interviewed in person in Grand Island, NE and El Centro, CA and did a phone interview in Clay Center, KS. I finally got a job in the small town of McPherson, KS.

I wish I would have known then what I know now.
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Posted in: Job Market

9 Ways A Kiss Will Make Your Personal Website Rock

Jon Chelesnik

I had a mentor in college who lived in Nashville, TN named Bob Sanders. Bob was big in the Nashville entertainment industry. He introduced me to local sportscasters Hope Hines and Joe Fisher. He even introduced me to Barbara Mandrell. That was pretty cool.

Maybe the most important thing Bob taught me was KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid.

Here are nine ways that a KISS will make your personal website rock.
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Posted in: Job Market

5 Details To Make Your Basketball Play-by-Play Great

Jon Chelesnik

When 10-time NCAA basketball champion John Wooden was head coach at UCLA, freshmen would arrive for the first day of practice eager with anticipation. They would gather around this great sage of basketball waiting to learn about how to be winners.

Wooden stunned them when the first thing he taught was how to put on their socks.

The reason was Coach Wooden believed if you didn’t put them on properly, the socks would get wrinkles, you would get blisters, you would be slowed or missed practice, which could impact your performance in the game, which could lead to the team losing.

The point is this: attention to detail leads to greatness.
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Posted in: Play-by-play

How To Make The Jump To DI Play-by-Play

Jon Chelesnik

Years ago I applied for the play-by-play job at my alma mater, Kansas State University. I went to school there; I was a walk on in the basketball program there and my dad is an alumnus and had ties with some big boosters. I thought I had a good shot at the job.

Wrong.
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Posted in: My Career, Play-by-play

How To Figure Out What The Next Step In Your Career Should Be

Jon Chelesnik

A sportscaster e-mailed me to share that he was facing one of the biggest challenges in his career. He asked, “How do I know what the right next step is for me? I know I’ll be successful at higher levels but I earn a great salary here and I’ve set down roots.“

To determine the best next step in your career, you must prioritize three considerations: career, finances and family.
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Posted in: My Career

John Wooden’s Methods Will Help You Improve Your Sportscasting Craft

Jon Chelesnik

The late UCLA basketball coach John Wooden is my greatest mentor outside of my Dad. I never met Coach Wooden but he’s had a profound influence on my life, largely through books.

One thing I loved about Coach was how he taught: instruction, demonstration, repetition and correction.

Coach Wooden’s methods will help you improve your sports broadcasting craft.
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Posted in: My Career

3-Step Plan For Moving To The Next Level In Your Sportscasting Career

Jon Chelesnik

Growing up in San Diego, I am a long-suffering Padres fan. The highlight of my fandom was 1984. I was at The Murph when they beat the Cubs in the deciding game of the NLCS to move to the World Series.

One of my favorite all-time Padres is closer Kirby Yates. He went from being released by the Angels to an All-Star with the Padres. The way he did it was by having a plan: stay in shape and develop a new pitch — the splitter.

Like Kirby Yates, you can have a plan for moving to the next level in your sports broadcasting career.
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Posted in: My Career

Coach Bill Snyder’s Example Will Help You Find Sportscasting Opportunities

Jon Chelesnik

I love Kansas State football. I graduated from K-State and was a walk-on in the basketball program. But it’s the football program I’ve always had a deep passion about because of Bill Snyder.

One thing Coach Snyder’s teams did was enter and exit the stadium as a group. It was a show of solidarity and there is strength in numbers.

You can apply that same “strength in number approach” in the sportscasting job market using the Referral Request Email.
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Posted in: Job Market, My Career

6 Tips For Finding Sports Broadcasting Opportunities

Jon Chelesnik

I love reading books. The one I’m currently reading is the second time I’ve read it: The Last Coach. It’s a biography about Bear Bryant.

Another book I just read for the second time is one of my all time favorites, When Pride Still Mattered, by David Maraniss. It’s a fabulously researched biography about Vince Lombardi. And another I recently read — even though I’m a Kansas State Wildcat and this is a KU book — Phog, about the legendary coach Phog Allen. Fabulous book.

My favorite books are usually recommended to me.

Do you know what? It’s the same in the job market. The best opportunities are going to be recommended to you.
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Posted in: Job Market, My Career