Aspiring sportscaster voices passion, ambition

Ben Grote, Sports Editor

With the end of the semester soon coming, this means thousands of community college students preparing for the grueling task of transferring and creating a plan for their college career. For Erik Katz, a College of DuPage student and athletics commentator, this means coming to a final decision on where to go to further pursue his passion of sports broadcasting. Katz has big plans for his sports announcing ambitions and has been working towards his goal for the past three years.

 

Starting his senior year in high school, Katz developed a passion in keeping the crowds posted on important plays during sporting events. He learned early on about what commentating is and through his own personal experience has created a method of keeping the attendees at games posted on vital information pertaining to the game. He commentates at many home COD games and has worked hard to create the best experience for the crowd.

 

On top of announcing sport games, Katz does something different from many other announcers. He posts live play-by-play sport updates via Twitter and YouTube.

 

“Having the play-by-play definitely makes games more visible for fans who can’t attend COD games,” Katz said. “It makes it easy for parents to see, and also to people who just live too far away to see a COD game.”

 

Katz emphasizes that utilizing play-by-plays along with his game commentary allows him to connect more people to COD athletics.

 

Katz says that his work has payed off so far in his early start to his sport broadcasting career and is looking forward to the future to announce even bigger games.

 

Katz offers his own tips on how to get in sports broadcasting at an age such as his. He says one needs to create their own opportunities.

 

“If you’re interested in sport commentating, you need to check with your school to see if they offer a broadcast club,” Katz said. “If they don’t offer one, then you just have to put in some extra work and try to start one on your own. You also have to be a bit different with it and work on your style.”

 

Katz is happy with where he is currently at for his sports commentating and credits his satisfaction through planning ahead. While Katz currently shares his position with Chris Viverito, who does sports announcing professionally, Katz says he is grateful for being able to commentate many of COD’s home sporting events and is optimistic about his career choice.

 

“I’ve seen myself be impacted by this,” said Katz. “I’m excited for where it takes me, and I really hope to see myself get an opportunity to do this at the college I transfer to.”


Katz is currently considering University of Missouri, Bradley University and Lindenwood University.