Southern Californian Bryan Flores was taken aback the first time he visited the Bismarck Bobcats home hockey arena. “There was this cold white stuff on the ground. And there was ice outside of the hockey rink,” he laughs. After joining the Bobcats in March as an interim broadcaster, Flores has earned a promotion to full-time Director of Media and Broadcasting.
“The Bobcats set a high standard for the league,” Flores states. “As the Media and Broadcast Director, it’s my job to live up to those expectations and improve the branding and overall public image on social media for the team.”
STAA assist
The Bobcats contacted STAA in February needing someone to finish the season doing broadcasting and graphic design. Flores applied.
“It was a whirlwind turnaround,” Flores recalls. “I just wrapped up my final season with the Long Beach Shredders (USPHL). I was going to go on a mini-vacation with my family to New York. A week before we departed, I got the [STAA Job Leads+] email and decided to apply, thinking it was for next season. But I get the call from [Bobcats Owner Thom Brigl] and made it through the interview process.”
Flores received his B.S. in sportscasting in 2021 and his Masters in New Media Journalism a year later from the Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting at Full Sail University. He quickly started calling hockey for the Shredders, the USC Trojans and the Los Angeles Kings High School Hockey League. Moving up, though, was a challenge.
Staying the course
“I applied, applied, and applied, hearing nothing back. Or sometimes I’d get the infamous ‘Thank you for your interest’ email.” Patience was key for Flores. “Patience is a thing I’m still working on. It’s not easy, especially for the months between seasons when I was all but sitting on my hands, other than sending out applications left and right.”
Flores credits his support system for keeping him on track.”From my family, to the Shredders organization, the Full Sail Armada and STAA. I took everything and learned from experience, other people’s experiences, and absorption. I ask, ‘How can I make myself better?’ then applying myself.”
Flores learned of STAA while at the Dan Patrick School. His parents encouraged him to join in 2022. “I read up, seeing that this agency can help me submit applications to several sports organizations. I’ve also seen the profiles of several colleagues of mine who are with STAA. It made it an easy decision to join.” This decision eventually led him to North Dakota, a place with a reputation for bone-chilling winters. Surprisingly, Flores says North Dakota’s cold is easier to handle than Southern California’s. At least, inside the rink.
Coping with the cold
“In California the rinks are VERY cold. At one point my fingers went numb calling a high school game at Paramount Ice in Lakewood. This is due to the warm weather outside; rinks need to be cold to compensate. Where in North Dakota, it’s probably the coldest I’ve been outside, but inside, it’s rather warm.”
Weather extremes are largely irrelevant for Flores. In his new role with the Bobcats, he is too busy to notice. “I love broadcasting, and I love graphic design. They’re both stress relievers for me. I’ve been in Bismarck now for three months. It feels like three days!