The players on the fields and courts, the coaches on the sidelines and the fans in the stands may have come and gone, but one constant over the past 27 years of Sheridan County sports has been the voice on the radio calling the action.
The voice is that of Trevor Jackson, Sheridan Media Sports Director, who was recently named the Sportscaster of the Year for Wyoming by the National Sportscaster and Sportswriters Association.
Although he’s typically on the other end of the question-answer exchange, Jackson provides insight on his craft, the individual games that are most memorable to him of those he has called and advice he’d offer to someone beginning a broadcast career in this installment of Sheridan Brand’s 5 Questions.
SB: You only get one take – the live one – when calling a sporting event. What characteristics do you feel make an individual successful in that type of scenario?
TJ: Spontaneity is one. Each live broadcast you do is different because every game is different, so you never know each time when you go on the air what might happen in that particular game; you can’t go off a script. To me, being spontaneous makes the most exciting call during a broadcast as the listeners are living the moment with you.
At the same time, you have to be prepared, and the longer you do this the easier the prep is. A general knowledge of sports is important, but going beyond that to look at the sports through the competitors’ eyes and the coaches’ eyes is key. You have to become a student of each sport to help in describing to listeners what is actually happening on the court or field so they see it, too.
SB: What was your inspiration for getting into sportscasting?
TJ: As a kid, sports were a big part of our family. My dad was a coach and he got us interested in playing all sports. When the playing days were over, it seemed natural to continue being around the sports I love.
SB: In over a quarter century of calling Sheridan County sports, do you have one game that stands out as most memorable?
TJ: There are so many it’s hard to single out just one. The championships won are memorable, of course, but tough losses are also memorable. There are two I admit over the years that had me the most animated on the air. One was the Tongue River boys’ basketball championship in 1994 with their huge upset over Wyoming Indian, and the other is the Sheridan Broncs basketball title in 2003 when they beat Gillette 62-61. That team had lost by 30 points a week earlier to the Camels in the regional tournament, and it was only the second Bronc basketball title ever.
SB: Let’s assume I’m fresh out of college and took my first job in radio. What advice would you offer to me as someone just entering the profession?
TJ: Be patient. Start at the bottom, work your way up, and appreciate the journey. The ride is awesome, and the people you meet along that journey will change your life forever. But most importantly, be passionate about what you do and have fun.
SB: When the day comes that Trevor Jackson signs off at the end of a sportscast for the last time, what do you hope people remember about him?
TJ: He loved every moment of it, sharing all the highs and lows of each game with all the great people that have listened to Sheridan County sports.
