Colorado native Connor Dockery is the new Sports Director of KRDZ in Wray, Colorado, just a few hours from his hometown of Castle Rock. Dockery is pleased with the opportunity to go somewhere new, but he adds that “being close to home is a plus.”
Dockery is fresh out of Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he graduated cum laude in December. He shares, “KRDZ is a great opportunity for me because it’s my first real on-air job since graduating college. It presents me with the opportunity to improve my play-by-play on radio for a passionate listener base, as well as get experience being a morning host on radio.”
Valuable experience
Dockery’s time at his alma mater provided him with a host of opportunities to hone his play-by-play. He even hosted a twice-weekly sports radio show and interned at Mile High Sports.
Of course, all experience comes with the opportunity for challenges. One of Dockery’s challenges has been self-doubt. It’s easy from time to time after a bad call to think I’m not good enough to make it in this business. I’ve overcome that by reassuring myself that everybody in this business starts the same way as me, even those guys on ESPN. Learning from mistakes has helped a lot.”
And push through he did. Dockery put in many hours, he says, “just grinding and calling as many games as I possibly could.” He also spent a lot of time making his highlight reels, building his website, and refining his work.
It all paid off.
Additional help
Dockery joined STAA in January. “STAA not only helped me get this position, but also allowed me to see it and other jobs like it in the first place. Without STAA, I would have been completely unaware of this opportunity!”
He found STAA through Twitter and eventually signed up. He says, “Best broadcasting decision I could’ve made.”
Dockery is one of many STAA members hired by Media Logic Radio and Owner/GM Wayne Johnson over the years.