Soph in WJR Booth for DLS FB v OLSM
Sophomore Gavin Velicevic will again be in the WJR 760 AM Broadcast Booth as De La Salle Collegiate’s Varsity Football team heads to Orchard Lake St. Mary on Friday, September 13.
Ways To Listen:
“The Prep” will be broadcasting the game on its YouTube channel.
Gavin, a member of the DLS Student Broadcast Club, got his first professional experience when DLS opened against Davison at the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State University on August 30.
“That was my first professional experience,” Gavin said. “I hadn’t experienced an environment where three individuals were prepared like it was a Division 1 college football game.”
Gavin said he learned a lot in his first foray. “I learned how to take advantage of the dead air and put my thoughts out to the audience.”
While Gavin prepared for the initial game by gathering information on the DLS players, he says he is looking at local news sources and sports networks for more information, “even though you might not use all the information that you have.”
Gavin is again meeting with the Sportscaster.com leaders, Michael Spath and Jeff Sloan, along with WJR broadcaster Chris Renwick during the week.
A member of the DLS Student Broadcasting Club, Gavin was “in the booth” for several DLS basketball games during his freshman year. Gavin himself plays JV football and played freshman baseball.
Mr. Kevin Fitzhenry, '03, Director of Marketing at DLS and the DLS Student Broadcast Club moderator, recommended Gavin for the position.
“Last year, Gavin and several other freshmen helped revitalize our Broadcast Club,” said Fitzhenry. “It’s great to be able to offer our students the opportunity to work with industry professionals and have them gain valuable experience outside of the classroom.”
Last year Gavin started as the play-by-play announcer for the Freshmen and JV basketball games but quickly graduated to calling Varsity games after only a few weeks.
“This broadcast team has stepped up in a big way,” Fitzhenry said. “Over the summer we installed some new camera equipment and software which will allow our students the opportunity to work graphic overlays and learn more about the back-end of a broadcast production.”
During De La Salle’s New Parent Welcome Night, STEM Director Mr. Scott Husken outlined the possibilities of additional Broadcast and Journalism offerings for the Steve and Kathy McShane STEM Innovation Center, currently under construction.
Husken commented, “Broadcast Journalism and Digital Marketing are topics of discussion with Mrs. Annmarie Michol, the DLS Curriculum Coordinator. This opportunity for Gavin to work with WJR fits in perfectly with what we are trying to accomplish with the STEM center. We want kids to gain real-world experience before they graduate.”
Gavin is considering a possible career in broadcasting, but for now he’s happy to have these experiences.
He is a member of the Student Council and also participates in the Bible Study group conducted by the DLS Campus Ministry Office.
Gavin attended Holy Family Regional School in Rochester Hills.