BRING MEDIA ON-BOARD-
Jacksonville high school, Illinois College, MacMurray College and all of West Central Illinois prep sports gets great newspaper and radio coverage. Shall we appreciate the fact that sports' broadcaster and sports' writers love what they do; follow teams and give accounts of the contests for listeners and readers.
I felt it important that I inform the media folks a view of our pre-season approach to our offense tempo and defense mixes and why. One year, I had a team that was not going to hold their own rebounding so our approach was going to be slow tempo with 12-15 passes and then run a set or special. I sold the players on the approach and I wanted the media not to be surprised that first game, therefore I explained thoroughly my reasoning. I did not expect them to buy into the game plan but I simply wanted them conditioned. That team won a Regional Title and the first game at the Collinsville Sectional defeating East St. Louis 28-27.
Newspaper sports writers usually have a predetermined article-slant at the post game interview. I made it a point to listen carefully to the first two questions attempting to surmise that angle. Keep in mind, I was going to do my best to spin the slant I thought best served our players while giving credit to our opponent.
Side Note on Media: I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to host a Saturday Morning 'Sports Spotlite Program' on WLDS Radio for 19-years. That gig got me exposure which helped me be selected by the Illinois High School Association to serve as analyst for the large school State Tournament Finals for two seasons. More importantly, that opportunity allowed me to give a voice to all sports in West Central Illinois, bring interviews from prep coaches around the State and college coaches across the nation; all of which gave high profile to Jacksonville and our Crimsons' Basketball Program.
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