When COVID-19 prompted the cancellation of sports, athletes didn’t stop training. They didn’t stop trying to improve themselves. You should take the same attitude with your sports broadcasting career.
Here are six ways to improve your career while sidelined.
1. Practice from video
If you’re a play-by-play broadcaster, grab anything off YouTube or television. Turn down the sound and practice some play-by-play.
2. Improve your delivery
Here’s a great secret: reading children’s books is a fabulous way to improve your delivery, especially for sports talk hosts.
When we read to children, we put ourselves in character. If something is scary, we say it like it’s scary. If someone is happy, we put a lilt in our voice.
That’s what you should be doing whether you’re reading a script as a TV anchor, hosting a sports talk show, play-by-play broadcasting, or doing a live read for an advertiser.
Also, practice letting your audience hear in your delivery how much you enjoy your craft and the games you cover.
3. Self-critique
I suggest this often because it works. Since you are your own harshest critic, self-critique is the number one way to accelerate improvement.
4. Study others
Listen to other broadcasters. Take notes about techniques they use that you might like to employ. Don’t copy them; still be you. But being you doesn’t mean you can’t be influenced by others.
5. Develop new skills
These could be skills that are commonly part of sportscasting jobs today: media relations, graphic design, video editing.
If you’re weak or unskilled in some of those areas, now’s a great time to learn. All the tutorials you need are on YouTube.
6. Keep a calendar
Write down each day what activity you’re going to engage in to improve your sportscasting career. The calendar will keep you accountable.
