Broadcasting for Drew Celli started early in his teens. “I would do the PA for Little League All-Star games at local fields in Massachusetts,” he recalls. “In high school I did high school hockey play-by-play. After that I knew that the sports field was where I wanted to be.”
The sports field is, indeed, where Celli continues to be. His next stop: WJFW-12 in Rhinelander, WI as a sports anchor/reporter.
The applicant pool for the WJFW position was deep. The content Celli chose for his reel helped set him apart. “I could have added a package of a local athlete announcing a commitment, but that could be on every single reel an employer views,” Celli states. “You’re never going to stand out sending in a basic reel. My package was of a 55 year old local who competed in the World Curling championships. I can all but guarantee you I was the only applicant with a package like that. What that shows is an ability to go out and find a good story that isn’t in your every day popular sports.”
Celli joined STAA two months before graduating from Bryant University in Rhode Island in May, 2022. Upon accepting his diploma, he joined the sports staff at WBKB in Alpena, MI. He’s grateful for the growth he experienced there. “I found my voice in a way I never had before,” he recalls. “From a confidence point of view, I am miles from where I was when I started. But most importantly I’ve learned that not all the viewers are going to like you. Don’t let it ruin your day. Just keep doing what you think is best for the job.”
Doing what is best for the job is what Celli did as a PA announcer at the ball fields of Massachusetts. And it’s what he’ll do next for his viewers in Northern Wisconsin.