New association created for sports public address announcers

NEW ASSOCIATION CREATED FOR SPORTS PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCERS

A professional association dedicated to sports public address announcing has just been launched. The National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers (NASPAA) is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.

Membership is open to sports public address announcers and to individuals, such as athletic directors and association administrators, who have responsibility in hiring or assigning announcers. Membership is also open to students.

"NASPAA will focus on providing national leadership and meaningful educational programs and services for high school, college and amateur sports public address announcers, commented Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director. "We will be active in promoting the educational values of sports public address announcing; and working with key associations and organizations, as well as entities in related broadcast fields as part of an ongoing effort to raise the level of professionalism of sports public address announcing in the United States."

"No one individual receives more attention game-to-game, event-to-event, week-in and week-out, than the sports public address announcer," remarked Frank Kovaleski, Director of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. "Their performance reflects directly on the athletic director, athletic department, school, and in many cases the sponsoring organization or association. Resources offered by NASPAA, such as "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD," will be a tremendous benefit to these individuals."

"THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD," provides national guidelines for announcing, and is endorsed by the NIAAA, NJCAA and the NAIA.

The NASPAA is also developing a leadership-training course for the NIAAA that will focus on the role of the athletic director in managing game/event announcing. "The Voice Above the Crowd," will serve as the primary resource for the course. NASPAA's goal is to teach the course for the first time at the National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics in New Orleans this December.

Information about NASPAA membership and "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" can be found on the organization's website, www.naspaa.net or see their flyer here. NASPAA is managed by Allegro Media of Kansas City.

"THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD," a comprehensive manual about sports public-address announcing, has been written for active sports public-address announcers and individuals, such as athletic directors association administrators, who are responsible for hiring and assigning announcers. The purpose of "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" is to improve the level of professionalism of sports public-address announcing and to promote national uniformity.

"THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" addresses the major aspects of a sports public-address announcer's duties and responsibilities, some of which pertain to emergency situations. Checklists and sample scripts, as well as examples of proper and improper announcing are included. Basic information for 14 sports that sports public-address announcers need to know, along with the spotters' duties, are also covered.

The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, National Junior College Athletic Association and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics endorse "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD." Whereas the information and guidelines contained in this publication are approved for announcing high school, junior college and small college athletic contests and events, "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" is ideal for amateur sports at all levels.

Accompanying "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" is a 34-minute CD featuring Bob Davis, the voice of the University of Kansas Jayhawks and the Kansas City Royals. Davis covers key areas of sports public-address announcing and demonstrates proper announcing techniques, including those of an emergency nature. The first step is to read the manual and then listen to the CD in order to enhance learning. The CD is the perfect companion piece for "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD," which is why they are sold as a package for $18.95 plus shipping and handling.

"No one individual receives more attention game-to-game, event-to-event, week-in and-week-out, than sports public address announcers," commented NIAAA Director, Frank Kovaleski. "How they perform reflects directly on the athletic director, athletic department, school and in many cases the sponsoring organization or association. In light of the fact that little, if any, education or training for sports public address announcers has been available, "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" and CD will serve as an important resource not only for announcers, but for the individuals who hire or assign announcers, as well."

"THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" was written by Brad Rumble, former assistant director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, in cooperation with various state high school association communications directors and individuals with expertise in sports public-address announcing and sports administration. Information about ordering may be obtained through the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers at www.naspaa.net. "THE VOICE ABOVE THE CROWD" was sponsored by Telex Pro Audio Group, Bison and Sportsound.