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Highlights from the Yankton Press and Dakotan.
http://www.yankton.net/stories/01220...50122019.shtml
On The Road Again
By: BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net
For WNAX sportscasters Steve Imming and Jerry Oster, "road trip" has taken on a whole new meaning.
In the past, the duo has traveled mostly the five-state region while covering South Dakota State University athletics for the Yankton radio station. But the pair have gone national with the Jackrabbits' move this year from NCAA Division II to the highest-level Division I, except for I-AA in football. . . .
It's been quite the wild ride, and the football and men's basketball broadcasts have become even more important to fans who no longer can follow their teams with a short jaunt in the car.
Imming, the sports director, is working his 13th year at WNAX. Oster, the station's news director, has worked Jacks football since 1979 and also works some men's basketball games. . . .
These days, the road stretches much further with Great West Football Conference membership and an independent schedule for basketball.
The Jacks finished 6-5 in football, including a 2-3 mark for a third-place tie in the GWFC. Of the 11 games, seven were on the road. The Jacks played twice in California and once each in Louisiana, Montana, Georgia, Utah and Colorado.
The men's basketball team stands at 4-13 (not counting an exhibition win) and will hit the road for 17 of 29 games this season. The cagers, who were on the road during most of the early part of the season, are in the midst of nine home games in a 12-game stretch. They will close the season with six straight road games.
While the large number of road trips brings challenges, it has also allowed the WNAX sportscasters to travel and bond with the players, coaches and their families. . . .
Imming said he now sees the football players in a more personal way. "In the old days, you only knew them in helmets and pads, and you recognized them by the numbers. Now, you recognize the players by their faces." . . .
The cross-country trips have provided an education in themselves.
"We have kids on the basketball team who were never on a plane, and now they are frequent fliers," Imming said. "The players went from hometowns in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota to walking Times Square (in New York City) and seeing all the oddities you can find in just a couple of square blocks."
But NYC also provided a very sobering experience, as the team visited Ground Zero where the Twin Towers stood before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"Ground Zero, in many ways, is a shrine. There is the enormity of what took place. It's hallowed ground," Imming said. "There was no joking around. The kids respected what took place (on 9/11)."
While in California, the football team visited the San Diego Zoo and went to the beach, Oster said. "A lot of the kids had never seen the ocean," he said. . . .
Then there was the Jacks' huge football win at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., which is also the home of Louisiana State University (LSU), Oster said.
"That afternoon, they had 80,000 to 90,000 people attend the game between LSU and Mississippi State," Oster said. "At night, they had about 16,000 fans attend the game on the north side of town between SDSU and Southern." . . .
SDSU rallied to defeat Southern -- the national black-college champion -- for the football team's first Division I-AA victory, but the hosts maintained their hospitality, Oster said. "John Stiegelmeier was escorted to the press box by Louisiana state troopers. That's just part of their tradition with the coaches," he said. . . .
The road trips will continue for Imming. He will embark Feb. 13-22 on a five-game, 10-day trip which includes the University of Colorado, the National Independent Tournament in Florida and another game in Florida.
The Jacks are paying their dues this year, and the schedule will be less hectic in future years, Imming said. Next year's schedule will have about half the games at home, spread out over the season, he said. . . .
Great story, it is long, but I recomend clicking on the link and reading the whole thing. The story really gives some insight to what is going on with the broadcasts and broadcasters. I am glad that WNAX is the voice of the Jackrabbits! 8)
Go State! ;D
http://www.yankton.net/stories/01220...50122019.shtml
On The Road Again
By: BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net
For WNAX sportscasters Steve Imming and Jerry Oster, "road trip" has taken on a whole new meaning.
In the past, the duo has traveled mostly the five-state region while covering South Dakota State University athletics for the Yankton radio station. But the pair have gone national with the Jackrabbits' move this year from NCAA Division II to the highest-level Division I, except for I-AA in football. . . .
It's been quite the wild ride, and the football and men's basketball broadcasts have become even more important to fans who no longer can follow their teams with a short jaunt in the car.
Imming, the sports director, is working his 13th year at WNAX. Oster, the station's news director, has worked Jacks football since 1979 and also works some men's basketball games. . . .
These days, the road stretches much further with Great West Football Conference membership and an independent schedule for basketball.
The Jacks finished 6-5 in football, including a 2-3 mark for a third-place tie in the GWFC. Of the 11 games, seven were on the road. The Jacks played twice in California and once each in Louisiana, Montana, Georgia, Utah and Colorado.
The men's basketball team stands at 4-13 (not counting an exhibition win) and will hit the road for 17 of 29 games this season. The cagers, who were on the road during most of the early part of the season, are in the midst of nine home games in a 12-game stretch. They will close the season with six straight road games.
While the large number of road trips brings challenges, it has also allowed the WNAX sportscasters to travel and bond with the players, coaches and their families. . . .
Imming said he now sees the football players in a more personal way. "In the old days, you only knew them in helmets and pads, and you recognized them by the numbers. Now, you recognize the players by their faces." . . .
The cross-country trips have provided an education in themselves.
"We have kids on the basketball team who were never on a plane, and now they are frequent fliers," Imming said. "The players went from hometowns in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota to walking Times Square (in New York City) and seeing all the oddities you can find in just a couple of square blocks."
But NYC also provided a very sobering experience, as the team visited Ground Zero where the Twin Towers stood before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"Ground Zero, in many ways, is a shrine. There is the enormity of what took place. It's hallowed ground," Imming said. "There was no joking around. The kids respected what took place (on 9/11)."
While in California, the football team visited the San Diego Zoo and went to the beach, Oster said. "A lot of the kids had never seen the ocean," he said. . . .
Then there was the Jacks' huge football win at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., which is also the home of Louisiana State University (LSU), Oster said.
"That afternoon, they had 80,000 to 90,000 people attend the game between LSU and Mississippi State," Oster said. "At night, they had about 16,000 fans attend the game on the north side of town between SDSU and Southern." . . .
SDSU rallied to defeat Southern -- the national black-college champion -- for the football team's first Division I-AA victory, but the hosts maintained their hospitality, Oster said. "John Stiegelmeier was escorted to the press box by Louisiana state troopers. That's just part of their tradition with the coaches," he said. . . .
The road trips will continue for Imming. He will embark Feb. 13-22 on a five-game, 10-day trip which includes the University of Colorado, the National Independent Tournament in Florida and another game in Florida.
The Jacks are paying their dues this year, and the schedule will be less hectic in future years, Imming said. Next year's schedule will have about half the games at home, spread out over the season, he said. . . .
Great story, it is long, but I recomend clicking on the link and reading the whole thing. The story really gives some insight to what is going on with the broadcasts and broadcasters. I am glad that WNAX is the voice of the Jackrabbits! 8)
Go State! ;D