Before June, Derek Decker had never lived west of Indiana. Now he’s carving out a sportscasting career in the Midwest. Decker is joining The Western Kansas Broadcast Center as a play-by-play broadcaster.
It’s the second job Decker has accepted in the region in less than two months. In early June, he took a seasonal position calling Chillicothe (MO) Mudcats summer collegiate baseball.
“I saw the opening on STAA, and to be honest, I just took a shot,” Decker recalls.
Expanding his horizons
“I’d never been west of the Mississippi before this summer, and I loved my time in Missouri with the Mudcats. I needed something post-college and this seemed like a great opportunity. [WKBC President] Mark Yearout was so friendly when we chatted, and he offered me the job. It was very hard to say no, so I didn’t!”
Decker will be headquartered in Dodge City, KS. “[I’ll be the] play-by-play voice of Dodge City Community College football and basketball, Dodge City High School football and basketball, the Southwest Kansas Storm arena football team, and the Dodge City A’s summer collegiate baseball team. I’m sure to stay busy!”
Decker is the second STAA member this month to join The Western Kansas Broadcast Center. Baylen Hite recently joined the group’s cluster in Garden City, KS, not far from where Decker will be in Dodge City.
Investing in his future
Decker is a 2022 graduate of Indiana University. He joined STAA midway through his senior year. “It was suggested to me by a couple upperclassman broadcasters at IU,” he remembers. “I’ve been so overwhelmingly pleased with the results so far, and it’s certainly something I’m planning on staying a part of for years to come!
“I’m a big believer in making investments into your future,” Decker continues. “Sports broadcasting isn’t usually a glamorous profession, but investing in a group that can help you find the openings that others don’t know exist is a hard thing to pass up, especially when it’s a dollar a day. I never would’ve found the jobs in Chillicothe or Dodge City without STAA. The resources too are so helpful, as is the ability to connect with others in the same career stage or higher through the platform.”
Two months ago, Decker might have admitted to some trepidation about moving to a new part of the country. Not anymore. “The summer just opened up my personal concerns about getting too far away from home in Indiana. I feel like I grew immensely in the summer to the point where I’m comfortable going just about anywhere now.”