Kid Reporter Joseph O'Connor with sportscaster Bob Costas. (Photo courtesy Citi)

Sportscaster Bob Costas

One secret to success: Think like a kid!

• PRINT
• EMAIL

What's a typical day in the life of sports broadcaster Bob Costas? There isn't one, he told the Scholastic Kids Press Corps in a recent interview.

Costas is one of sports' most successful broadcasters. He has won 19 Emmy Awards and is the host of NBC's Football Night in America. He has covered the Olympic games, the U.S. Open, Kentucky Derby, the NBA finals, the World Series, and everything in between. He is also the author of the book Fair Ball: A Fan's Case for Baseball.

What makes him one of the best is hard work, research, and an eye for what's interesting to the fans.

"When I do a baseball game, in the days leading up to it, I follow the two teams involved closely," he said. "I'm going over research materials, searching my head for anecdotes or points of view that might be of interest to the viewers."

The secret is to always be prepared for the game, but also be prepared to "throw everything out the window!" he said.

"You can't just broadcast the game that you brought in your briefcase," Costas stressed. "You have to broadcast the game that unfolds in front of you, and you have to be nimble enough to respond to it."

The best way to prepare for a career as a sports broadcaster, Costas says, is to follow sports closely, but also get a great education.

"Be a well rounded person," he said. "Be well read—know something about the world beyond sports that'll serve you well throughout your life. And if you reach your dream of being a sportscaster, you'll be a more interesting sportscaster."

A good voice is also helpful.

"You need a good clear voice that is friendly and engaging, but at the same time has some authority to it, a command of language," he said. "You need a good knowledge of the sport you are covering, not just in the here and now, but know the history of the sport."

The ability to work well with other people is also important, as is "the ability to prioritize information and be able to decide what's important, what's interesting, and how it should be presented," he says.

And think young!

"Retain that little five percent that's like when you were a kid," he said. "Be open to the possibility that something so exciting, so surprising, so delightful will happen that you can capture some of what a kid sitting in the stands would feel if he or she were watching that very same thing. Transmit that to the audience."

That sounds like a tall order, which Costas makes look easy.

"I've been lucky enough to get really good assignments—the Olympics, the World Series, Super Bowl, NBA finals. All of them were milestones," he says.

So what is the ultimate sportcaster's favorite sport to cover? Without hesitation, the answer was baseball—"no contest."

Costas says his job is fun and rewarding.

"The most rewarding thing, apart from doing something you love everyday, is when you encounter people who don't just recognize you, but really appreciate what you do and they express that," he said. "That's really gratifying and it makes you realize how lucky you are."


For more tips from professional journalists, check out the Scholastic Kids Press Corps Tips from the Pros page.

NEWS FOR KIDS, BY KIDS

Get the latest on national and international events, movies, television, music, sports, and more from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.

• Teacher Store
• 

  The Teacher Store
  	Roberto & Me by Dan Gutman Joe Stoshack has baseball cards that transport him back to meet the greatest players in history! Includes statistics, baseball tips, and more. "A thoroughly entertaining mix of fantasy, baseball, and history."—Kirkus $5.95 Paperback Book | Grades 4-6

  
  Roberto & Me
  Grades 4-6 $5.95
  
• Scholastic Store
• 

  The Scholastic Store

  Plunked by Michael Northrop A young slugger, part Wimpy Kid, part Rocky Balboa, gets hit by a pitch and needs more than practice to get back his game. Sixth grader Jack Mogens has it all figured out: He's got his batting routine down, and his outfielding earns him a starting spot alongside his best friend Andy on their Little League team, the Tall Pines Braves. He even manages to have a not-totally-embarrassing conversation with Katie, the team's killer shortstop. But in the first game of the season, a powerful stray pitch brings everything Jack's worked so hard for crashing down around his ears. How can he explain to his parents and friends why he WON'T be playing? Readers will root for Jack as he finds the courage to step back up to the plate. Contributors: Michael Northrop has written short fiction for Weird Tales, the Notre Dame Review, and McSweeney's. His debut novel, Gentlemen, earned him a PW Flying Start, and his YA thriller, Trapped, was published in 2011 to great acclaim. An editor at SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS for many years, he now writes full-time from his home in New York City. You can visit him online at www.michaelnorthrop.net. $11.89 You save: 30% books;hardcover books;hardcovers | Ages 8-12

  
  Plunked
  Ages 8-12 $11.89