One of the often overlooked duties of a high school athletic administrator is the selection of public address announcers for home athletic events. Fans have grown accustomed to the loquacious characters that keep them entertained at professional and collegiate contests, but the role of announcer at high school events is rarely played by someone accustomed to the demands of the task at hand. If a well-trained faculty member is not slotted into the position on a regular basis, the role often falls to a student or parent who may not understand and appreciate the professionalism required for such a “public” role at a sporting event.
The role of a PA announcer is should not involve cheering for the home team, providing color analysis like a TV commentator, or second-guessing the officials. According to the National Association of Sport Public Address Announcers (NASPAA), announcers should “understand that their role is to provide pertinent information in a timely manner and to do so professionally”. They should not attempt to be bigger than the event itself by providing play-by-play or commentary in an effort to entertain or to draw attention to himself or herself.” NASPAA is a great resource for administrators looking to develop training plans for their school announcers or looking to align their procedures with best practices. NASPAA has a Code of Conduct that lists 10 principles and expectations for announcers that should be understood by anyone who undertakes the role. These expectations include guidelines intended to promote good sportsmanship, treating the fans from opposing teams as guests, not enemies. The role of an announcer is not something that can just be done on the spur of the moment. An announcer should be prepared for their role in advance, being familiar with the pronunciation of player names, knowing the basic rules of the sport being played, and understanding the signals for the officials and umpires during play.
In schools where student announcers are used, a well-designed training program is required to ensure that the student handles the role in a manner that is reflective of the institution’s standards and expectations. They should be given clear direction on their pre-game and post-game responsibilities. The announcer should be expected to arrive early to the event to gather rosters for the opposing teams, select any music that is to be played during warm-ups, and practice pronunciation of athlete names. The school may also have announcements that will be read periodically that include direction on concessions or a schedule of upcoming events at the school. In many cases, the school or the local state high school association will have a standard event opening or welcome announcement that will be read before the start of each contest to encourage good sportsmanship from players and fans.
One of the most overlooked and yet crucial roles for the PA announcer at any event is their direction of school risk management procedures and protocols. First, as stated by NASPAA, announcers should understand that they have tremendous influence on the crowd and that “cheerleading or antics designed to incite the crowd for the purpose of gaining an advantage for their team is inappropriate”. The PA announcer should remind the crowd of the host school’s expectations for their behavior before, during, and after the game. Being proactive in this area can prevent unruly fan behavior before it starts. A skilled PA announcer will be able to read the crowd ahead of time to foresee possible issues with rivalry games or games where the result takes on added significance.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the PA announcer will be the first to give direction to the crowd in case of an emergency such as severe weather, fire, or even terroristic threats. They may have to make announcements dealing with everything from an illegally parked vehicle in the fire line outside the gym to a lost child in the stands. In most cases, great discretion must be used by the announcer to avoid panic in the stands and give concise directions to fans who may be in the athletic venue for the first time. Fans will need clear instructions on the locations for emergency exits, lost and found, and first aid personnel. To aid with these higher pressure circumstances, scripts for various emergency situations can be rehearsed ahead of time to give the announcer increased confidence when these announcements must be made.
The selection of an announcer at an event is often one of those last-minute items that can fall through the cracks when planning a home event, especially for sub-varsity contests that may or may not draw the attention of a larger following at the host school. However, adherence to a well-prepared game plan for training anyone in that position is just as important as it is for coaches training their athletes for the contest itself. More than likely, the preparation for crisis management at an event will be needed only on the rarest of occasions. However, no administrator should overlook the value of a well-trained announcer that gives concise information to fans and allows them to enjoy the athletes’ performances on the field rather than be distracted by an overzealous broadcaster in the booth. The announcer may be the only real voice from the home school that is heard by visitors and opposing fans while they are on the host school’s campus. Earlier this year, I wrote that every home event should be treated as an “Open House” for the host school. It is the PA announcer that can ultimately make or break that experience for your guests.
Gameday Every Day 