Magic
I guess it started from when I was a kid. I wasn’t like most other kids my age (ha, I am not like most adults my age, some would argue), I would much rather have listened to a game on radio than watch it on TV. It didn’t matter what sport, I was just fascinated with radio and sports. Many warm summer nights I would go to my room, open a window, and let the warm air blow in, while flipping on the radio and letting Marty and Joe bring me the action, hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles away.(this was the Reds radio team, for those who might not know..Marty is still at it) Yet they would paint a picture so clear with their words and voices, I would feel as if I were in the press box with them watching the games. As much as I liked Marty and Joe as a kid, no one at least for my money was better than our local guys Johnny Wharff and the WMOA staff of sportscasters. Often catching him along with his legendary father in the booth covering all things Marietta sports, both college and high school.
As I grew older sports radio still played a part in my life. Late in high school, I found the gold mine (at least that is what I thought it was) of all day ESPN radio. What could be better, than people talking sports on the radio all day? I told you I wasn’t normal!
So it would be natural for me to go into radio journalism in college, right? Well not so much. While I loved radio and sports, I had yet to be exposed to it ‘behind the scenes.’ I guess I didn’t think much about it, I was going to school to teach or become a business man. I didn’t think of radio as a career.
As I grew older sports radio still played a part in my life. Late in high school, I found the gold mine (at least that is what I thought it was) of all day ESPN radio. What could be better, than people talking sports on the radio all day? I told you I wasn’t normal!
So it would be natural for me to go into radio journalism in college, right? Well not so much. While I loved radio and sports, I had yet to be exposed to it ‘behind the scenes.’ I guess I didn’t think much about it, I was going to school to teach or become a business man. I didn’t think of radio as a career.
As I went through college, early on I was given an opportunity to do an ‘internship’ with the Akron Zips football broadcasters. I thought, heck why not. It would be a way to get into the games free and see what broadcasting was all about behind the scenes.
That experience, needless to say was amazing; in fact I did it for two years. Also around this time, during summer break from College, I worked at mystical WMOA radio station, of my childhood past. I was ‘running’ the station on Sat and Sun nights. I like to think I ran the station, however it pretty much ran itself, but it sounds better for the story when I say I ran it!
One of those summers, I managed to work my way into the press box (at then) Pioneer Park, to see how Johnny and his broadcast partner Mark, worked their craft. During one of my visits to the booth, I somehow slide my way into the Color commentary chair one day, to call one batter, with Johnny while Mark was on a food run. You can imagine, I was like that kid again. But unlike 12 years before when I just pictured what it was like in a broadcast booth, I was there living it in color. I put a pair of headsets on for the first time, and the magical voice of Johnny Wharff , went into one ear, stopped at my brain, allowing me to see that picture once again as I did as a kid, and went out my ear;
That experience, needless to say was amazing; in fact I did it for two years. Also around this time, during summer break from College, I worked at mystical WMOA radio station, of my childhood past. I was ‘running’ the station on Sat and Sun nights. I like to think I ran the station, however it pretty much ran itself, but it sounds better for the story when I say I ran it!
One of those summers, I managed to work my way into the press box (at then) Pioneer Park, to see how Johnny and his broadcast partner Mark, worked their craft. During one of my visits to the booth, I somehow slide my way into the Color commentary chair one day, to call one batter, with Johnny while Mark was on a food run. You can imagine, I was like that kid again. But unlike 12 years before when I just pictured what it was like in a broadcast booth, I was there living it in color. I put a pair of headsets on for the first time, and the magical voice of Johnny Wharff , went into one ear, stopped at my brain, allowing me to see that picture once again as I did as a kid, and went out my ear;
“The 1-1 pitch on the way, and taken for a ball by the Pioneer batter, I would like to welcome in Aaron Cassady to the booth, Aaron……” Johnny would go onto ask me a few questions, and allow me to add my ‘commentary about the game.’ While it was just one batter that moment as far as broadcasting goes, will always be near the top of my memories. It was what totally blew me away, and hooked me."
It’s amazing how a person can give you a break in life, and it totally propels you into a whole new ‘era’ in your life. Johnny did that for me that day. And knowing the type of guys he is, he probably didn’t even know he did anything special. He was just helping a young college kids ‘learn’ the ropes. I have since thanked him and let him know the impact he has had on me, not only as the ‘mystical’ person that came through my radio as a youth, but also as the young man, that he would be giving a ‘chance’.
College in Akron came and went, and then a move to Columbus. During that time, I would talk to someone here and there from a station, in hopes to call games. I tried mostly with little stations around the area, seeing if they coved local high school games. But to no luck, they either didn’t do games or didn’t need any more help.
I was starting to become successful in my business career and a local University in Columbus (who didn’t have sports by the way to cover), yet I still had the burning memory and sound etched in my head, of Johnny’s voice coming through my headphone that summer day. Something kept telling me to broadcast games on the side, not for a career but as a passion. But I had no demos to give to stations, Central Ohio I was finding was very under coved as far as local high school or college sports went, and I was running out of stations to send emails to, letting them know my situation. I mean, looking back, I am sure some of these stations were a bit confused. Random email from a guy with little experience, no demos, works full time outside the radio business, and says he will work for free to get experience…Humm!!!, is a sound from the mouth of those reading an email from me, followed by a click of the mouse to delete the email.
God’s working
God works in ways that I will never be able to explain. Yet I have seen His work to often to ever question His presence. I am too often impatient to realize that sitting back and letting Him do His thing, works out way better than me trying to figure it out.
This is the part in the story of how gamedaybroadcasting.com came to me. Above is why, so here is how, and I promise to keep it brief. This is also why I like radio, I could have said all of this in 10 min on air, but it has taken me an hour to write..
College in Akron came and went, and then a move to Columbus. During that time, I would talk to someone here and there from a station, in hopes to call games. I tried mostly with little stations around the area, seeing if they coved local high school games. But to no luck, they either didn’t do games or didn’t need any more help.
I was starting to become successful in my business career and a local University in Columbus (who didn’t have sports by the way to cover), yet I still had the burning memory and sound etched in my head, of Johnny’s voice coming through my headphone that summer day. Something kept telling me to broadcast games on the side, not for a career but as a passion. But I had no demos to give to stations, Central Ohio I was finding was very under coved as far as local high school or college sports went, and I was running out of stations to send emails to, letting them know my situation. I mean, looking back, I am sure some of these stations were a bit confused. Random email from a guy with little experience, no demos, works full time outside the radio business, and says he will work for free to get experience…Humm!!!, is a sound from the mouth of those reading an email from me, followed by a click of the mouse to delete the email.
God’s working
God works in ways that I will never be able to explain. Yet I have seen His work to often to ever question His presence. I am too often impatient to realize that sitting back and letting Him do His thing, works out way better than me trying to figure it out.
This is the part in the story of how gamedaybroadcasting.com came to me. Above is why, so here is how, and I promise to keep it brief. This is also why I like radio, I could have said all of this in 10 min on air, but it has taken me an hour to write..
(This section I kind of go half story on you/half bullet points--- story goes a bit quick)
One last ditch effort I email Tony Castricone from 97.1 the Fan in Columbus, on pure Faith it would work (was then AM 1460 the Fan). I knew Tony has done some work in High School sports, I had heard him fill in for the local sportscasters, and he seemed to just be down to earth. So I pick him to email. (I say I picked him, but I would later find out, God put it in my heart to email him of all the people I could have.)
Email back from Tony-He says not only will he talk with me a little bit about the ‘business’, but he wants to do it face to face. I meet with Tony, he gives me some great advice, but the meeting more than anything, re-assured me that I really want to do broadcasting, not as my career, but something bigger. A way to give back to a community and fill a passion in doing so.
Few months go by: I am working in community relations as my ‘day job’ at the college mentioned above. Random email comes to my boss about a broadcasting open house at a small radio station in Columbus. It was inviting our broadcasting students to the open house, the station needs our help promoting the event to students. (Funny thing- we don’t have broadcasting major therefore no broadcasting students.) My boss, knowing I love broadcasting, emails it to me as an ‘FYI’. As if she didn’t know exactly what I was going to do. Another example of a person watching out for someone else, and wanting to see that person be successful.
I email the station back telling them we have no students; however I would like to attend. Lucky for me, the open house is open to the public and 4 spots were open. I didn’t know what to expect, but I thought it couldn’t hurt. Also around this time, my boss had introduced me to a guy who had over 25 years of experience in radio; he was doing some partnership work with us at the college.
I email the station back telling them we have no students; however I would like to attend. Lucky for me, the open house is open to the public and 4 spots were open. I didn’t know what to expect, but I thought it couldn’t hurt. Also around this time, my boss had introduced me to a guy who had over 25 years of experience in radio; he was doing some partnership work with us at the college.
I go to the open house, I immediately try and pick out the person who I think ‘runs the show’. This station wasn’t a sports station, nor did they cover a local team, but at this point my thinking was just getting some more experience and making contacts, just wanting something part time. I find ‘the boss’, and talk to him after the open house- During the open house, they let the people attending know they might need someone coming up in the next month or two to work a weekend shift. Well that’s all I needed to hear. Left with a very good feeling, but didn’t hear anything back after a month.
Meanwhile I meet with the radio guy of 25 years (Eddie), to talk about the biz. And man did I spill it on him. I talked to the poor man, I think for two hours about radio and how I wanted to do my own thing on the side, as a passion as a service to a community. Eddie plays an important part later on, along with this night.
Meanwhile I meet with the radio guy of 25 years (Eddie), to talk about the biz. And man did I spill it on him. I talked to the poor man, I think for two hours about radio and how I wanted to do my own thing on the side, as a passion as a service to a community. Eddie plays an important part later on, along with this night.
Get an email on a Wednesday-From the guy from the station whom had the open house. Almost two months had gone by and he was right, they were looking for a part time person. He remembered me from talking with him that night and wanted to bring me in. Tell my boss, I talking a vacation day Thursday; have to take care of something. Get the part time job, running the board at WRFD, on Sat and Sunday morning from 5:45am-noon. Hey, it’s part time and I am the new guy, what do you expect? Once I start working there, I find out one of the guys at the station does high school games about a half hour north of Columbus, I tag along for a few, but he has his partner, so no real need for me.
Meanwhile-I shoot one more email to a local station about 20 min east of Columbus, WCLT. I have listened to them cover sports, and they very similar to WMOA from home. Local owned and operated. And Johnny Wharff know the owner as well.
Meanwhile-I shoot one more email to a local station about 20 min east of Columbus, WCLT. I have listened to them cover sports, and they very similar to WMOA from home. Local owned and operated. And Johnny Wharff know the owner as well.
What-da ya know, an email back. The program director Curtis says “Aaron I might have something open during the winter for basketball (this email is sometime in Oct.), do you have any demo’s to send and can you come meet me this week? Ah ha, this time I can figure out the demo part, remember I now work at a station with full access to a studio. I can record something, anything would be good, and I do just that. End up doing some work with WCLT for basketball that season, now I have REAL audio from a games and some experience.
Learned from Curtis that many stations are ‘streaming games online’ as well as carrying them live on the FM or AM dial. WLCT had just done this during football season, so I learn all I can from Curtis on how this works. Also find out that WCLT might be doing it again next football season. I call up Eddy (25 year radio guy) to tell me more about streaming games online, how’s it’s done, etc. Eddy had mentioned this to me in our other meeting but I kind of blew it off thinking it wasn’t something I could do. Now I insist he tells me.
Jump ahead. Find out during the summer that WLCT decided to scratch the idea of doing games online during football. So it was all now up to me. If I really wanted to do this whole broadcasting thing, I was going to have to do it on my own. Which I had been thinking about all winter just in case WCLT wasn’t going to do it. I found out how, when, where, who, and whatever else you can think of. I pretty much found out, there is a whole world out there of independent broadcasters. Some do it as their business and do as many as 200 plus games a year. They simple have a ‘host’ site, create a website, buy some equipment, and bam, there you go. They sell commercial spots like any other station would do to support their cost. The set up is the exact same thing you would see with a 'real radio' station..Except insted of sending the broadcast signal to a tower, it is sent into the computer and then online.
The Start
So in the Summer/Fall 2009 I create my own website, find a host, buy my equipment, find a local team to cover and I am ready to roll. I even convince my friends Eric and Billy to do color commentary for me for FREE! I come up with Gameday Broadcasting as the name, mostly because my wife says it’s catchy.
Jump ahead. Find out during the summer that WLCT decided to scratch the idea of doing games online during football. So it was all now up to me. If I really wanted to do this whole broadcasting thing, I was going to have to do it on my own. Which I had been thinking about all winter just in case WCLT wasn’t going to do it. I found out how, when, where, who, and whatever else you can think of. I pretty much found out, there is a whole world out there of independent broadcasters. Some do it as their business and do as many as 200 plus games a year. They simple have a ‘host’ site, create a website, buy some equipment, and bam, there you go. They sell commercial spots like any other station would do to support their cost. The set up is the exact same thing you would see with a 'real radio' station..Except insted of sending the broadcast signal to a tower, it is sent into the computer and then online.
The Start
So in the Summer/Fall 2009 I create my own website, find a host, buy my equipment, find a local team to cover and I am ready to roll. I even convince my friends Eric and Billy to do color commentary for me for FREE! I come up with Gameday Broadcasting as the name, mostly because my wife says it’s catchy.
On a late Aug sat afternoon we go live for the first time, covering the Hilliard Davidson Wildcats, a local high school team. Ohh yeah, we are going live from a little place I have always wanted to broadcast from, The Horse Shoe (Ohio Stadium), home to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Check that one off the bucket list. Hilliard also goes on to win the State title for 2009; it has to have something to do with us, right?
Our home
The 2009 first year of broadcasting went great. Hilliard won the state title, we got good support from their fans. However I still felt something was missing. That ‘home town’ feel was something I was searching for.
In the summer of 2010 I reached out to a local community just east of Columbus. New Albany. I started talking to their coaches, business, boosters and community. New Albany was who we were going to cover to start with in 2009, however decided to cover Hilliard due to some contacts we already had in the school system. What I found in my talks during the summer of ’10 was an amazing community. A great head coach, businesses who were very supportive, and a boosters club and school that is first class. We found a home for Gameday Broadcasting gamedaybroadcasting.com. I found a place that I could continue my dream calling play by play for radio, but also build a grassroots effort in making a difference through a media service. Some might think, really how can you make a difference by calling football games? I sometimes wondered the same thing. How could I take this passion and make a difference. I mean, I knew how great it was in high school to have a local hometown station cover games, but I guess I took for granted what it means to a community.
I knew we were making a difference outside of kids getting to hear their name on radio when they went back and listened. In week one, of the football season I started getting emails like this:
‘Thanks for providing this broadcast. I am on out of town and can listen to the game!’
“wow!! that was something…Nice job again guys. Really exciting broadcast; lots of excitement and the tension at the end had us all on our feet back here in Boston. Congrats to the Eagles and all New Albany fans”
Hi guys!
No kidding. I listen to a lot of my alma mater BC football on Boston radio and the two of you do a better job calling a game and getting the listener connected to the action and excitement.
No kidding. I listen to a lot of my alma mater BC football on Boston radio and the two of you do a better job calling a game and getting the listener connected to the action and excitement.
you and the guys are doing such a great job...
You are helping to make New Albany Football even better....THANKS!
Go Eagles!
You are helping to make New Albany Football even better....THANKS!
Go Eagles!
I wanted to thank you for broadcasting the New Albany games on the internet. I am the aunt of a player and live out of town, due to a recent death in my family I cannot be there but I can listen to New Albany football every friday! Keep up the good work !
Please send a hello to ____he will be in the hospital tonight recovering from surgery and will be listening.
You do such a tremendous job and I can't even begin to tell you the great words I receive about the job you do from people in our community who talk with me on a continuous basis. You are making a difference in our community and for our kids and that says alot about the 3 of you. So, thank you from a Board member, a sports fan and from somebody who loves to see people make a difference. I truly appreciate it.
I am listening from Iraq!
Those are a few emails we are getting. This shows me we are making a difference to a community. A solider in Iraq passing time by listening to use. Someone in the hospital now able to listen to a game because we are broadcasting it. An uncle from Boston who can listen to every game now….
I get to do something I love, for the love of it,,.,not for the money..while doing it with two of my best friends in the word, while making a difference….to me, that’s what it’s all about. That’s why I started this company.
The purpose in this blog, wasn’t to talk just about me…although that’s what I mostly did. I want people to see how you can dream and dream, and live it. Yes, I am not broadcasting for ESPN, or a major station. But sometimes you have to create your own opportunities to live your dream. I have called 5 games from Ohio States stadium. No, it wasn’t the buckeyes that I got to call; it was high school games being played there. But my goal was to one day call a game from there….and I found a way to do it. Also during this whole process, I have met some amazing broadcasters, and I am making contacts I thought I would never have, sometimes I an in awe of who some of them are. All because God put it in my heart, to accomplish this goal on my ‘bucket list’.
My point is, if a kid from Marietta Ohio can live a dream, you CAN as well. If you have a dream or something you have always wanted to do, DO IT...Find away... It might not be the exact way you wanted to do it, but you still can live some part or the whole dream.
If you are ever board on a crisp fall night or sipping some hot coco on a winter Friday night or craving the sound of summer baseball, check out gamedaybroadcasting.com. Sit back and listen and know the voice on the other side is humbled beyond anything you can think of.
If you are ever board on a crisp fall night or sipping some hot coco on a winter Friday night or craving the sound of summer baseball, check out gamedaybroadcasting.com. Sit back and listen and know the voice on the other side is humbled beyond anything you can think of.
You never know where we will be, I know I don’t. I gave that up a long time ago to God. He seems to know what’s best for me; after all He put the desire for me to do this and HE filled this dream!
