(July 30, 2013) One year ago, Lewis Woodard made first contact with a career in sports radio as a board op. Now he is expanding his career experience in a new market. An STAA client, Woodard has joined 100.3 The Team in Myrtle Beach, SC as Afternoon Drive sports update anchor. He’ll also host a variety of shows and produce a weekend show.
“On Fridays during the fall I’ll host a one-hour high school football scoreboard show. I’ll co-host a pre game tailgate show before Coastal Carolina home football games with Aaron Marks. I’ll fill in for Aaron, hosting The Drive when he’s out.
For Woodard, it’s a tremendous opportunity to develop his on-air skills. “I’m getting experience with updates and with hosting–which is my ultimate career goal. I’m close to my previous market, Charlotte, so I already have a comfort level with most of the teams we’re covering.”
Woodard is also eager to learn more about radio behind-the-scenes. “It’s a smaller shop than WFNZ so there are fewer employees and those employees have more responsibility. I’m excited to see more of the business side of radio.”
Good old-fashioned networking is what got Woodard’s work in front of 100.3’s Sports Director, Aaron Marks.
“I got in contact with Jim Szoke, a color guy for the Carolina Panthers’ Radio Network. After having lunch with him and explaining my career goals, he offered to email my STAA Talent Page, along with a short message about my background, to every radio station that carries the Panthers’ broadcasts. 100.3 The Team happens to be a Panthers’ affiliate. Aaron Marks opened my talent page and liked what he saw and heard.”
“They needed someone who could do updates as well as host and handle a board, if need be. My versatility helped convince them to make the hire.”
Woodard was not a broadcasting or journalism major in college, so he finds the educational aspects of STAA particularly helpful. “Calling [STAA CEO Jon Chelesnik] personally has been invaluable. I wouldn’t have had a clue how to look for jobs or structure a demo without his help.
“The [STAA] website has helped me with sports talk education and awareness of how best to look for jobs. I didn’t have any experience or education in sports radio before taking my first job at WFNZ as a board operator a year ago. STAA’s resources–seminar downloads, success tools, etc.– were very important in teaching my aspects of the industry I wasn’t getting exposed to at work.”
(Visit Lewis’s STAA Talent Page).