Never in a million years did I imagine I’d be wearing a headset in a control room, directing Mina Kimes in a FaceTime segment on a hit ESPN show.
Yet, it happened.
And never did I imagine I’d get the opportunity to meet Tony Reali and visit ESPN’s studios on Pier 17.
But it happened.
This is all to emphatically say my summer interning for Around the Horn was unmatched.
I learned so much and covered nearly everything there is to cover in the realm of sports – the NBA finals, the Stanley Cup, the Women’s World Cup, Wimbledon, the British Open, the U.S. Open, the MLB trade deadline, NFL preseason, and so much more.
First and foremost, I learned how to be quicker and more efficient. You have no choice but to operate quickly in such a deadline-driven environment. This was the case with editing, pulling video from various feeds and sources, finding statistics, locating quotes and clipping SOTs.
Once I learned the system, it became easier to perfect the craft. Practicing speed and precision in the media industry is so important.
Throughout this experience, I also developed a sharper eye for fact checking and breaking news. I helped our statistician by watching what the panelists said and making sure it coincided with the official numbers.
I also was tasked with informing our associate producer of breaking news. One instance that instantly comes to mind is the day when Antonio Brown’s agent announced he found a suitable helmet for Brown to wear in-season.
I never fully understood just how critical these details are until this summer. They are vital to the success, credibility and reputation of the show.
The last skill I learned was how to push myself to be inventive, indispensable, and think outside the box.
Along the way, I took the initiative of proposing story ideas for the show on a daily basis, and after noticing some panelists didn’t have proper biographies on the Around the Horn website, I went ahead authored them and sent them on to my supervisor. They are still on the website today.
Lastly, during my spare time I put together a PowerPoint presentation of a thorough social media revamp plan, littered with examples. I followed that plan up by proposing content for short Instagram videos throughout the rest of my time there. I also regulated the poll questions, as they were only being changed about once a week. I generated two to three poll questions per day and suggested we move them from the website to Instagram to rally more audience engagement. These ideas are also still being used today.
Believe it or not, not only did I get to speak with Mina Kimes, but also Kevin Blackistone, Sarah Spain, Frank Isola, Bill Plaschke, Stugotz, Clinton Yates and, of course, Woody Paige. I will reach back into my memory and cherish those moments forever.
I never thought I’d be able to reach even the outskirts of this show, but this is how far I’ve come.
And it never hurts to reach a little.
