The Beginning

AN INSPIRATION

I grew up in Southern Colorado. In those days Todd Helton was a king, John Elway a deity, and Alan Roach was the Voice of The Mile High City. Roach served as the Public Address Announcer for the Colorado Rockies from their inception in 1993 through 2006, missing only a single game over a thirteen year stretch. That game coincided with the Colorado Avalanche’s 2001 Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 victory over the New Jersey Devils. When Joe Sakic famously handed the Cup to Ray Bourque, Roach was there to announce the post-game festivities.  During that same time Alan was a staple on the radio with 850 KOA in Denver, served as Public Address announcer for the Denver Broncos, University of Denver Pioneers, and Colorado Avalanche and still found time for Super Bowls, Olympic Games, and other sporting events worldwide. As a young sports fan living in the Rocky Mountains, it was assumed that Alan Roach announced every sporting event that happened anywhere, anytime. 

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

It was in high school that I first recognized I had a passion for Public Address  announcing. The year was 2007 and the Colorado Rockies were racing through an historic stretch winning 21 of 22 games, including 14 of their final 15 regular season matchups on their way to the franchise’s first ever pennant. As a Junior at Air Academy High School and coming off our own state-runner up year just a season before, it was no surprise the high school baseball team was abuzz following every Rockies game down the stretch. One teammate went so far as to burn a mixtape CD of the walk-up songs for the Rockies starting 9, and we’d do our best Alan Roach impressions as we’d drive around town. (Unbeknownst to us at the time, 2007 was the first year in Rockies history that Roach wasn’t the club’s PA. Instead, that season was the first for Reed Saunders, but we couldn’t tell the difference). Additionally, we realized Roach was also the voice of the train connecting concourses at Denver International Airport. Suddenly, “Now batting, first baseman, number seventeen, Toooooodd HEL-Ton!” was accompanied by “The train is stopping,” and “Hoooooold on please!” Before long I was showing off my new party-trick to anyone who would listen.

Though I’ve never met Alan Roach personally, sitting in the stands all those years provided an avenue for him to teach me several things that have led me to where I am today:

·       Be clear, confident, and never afraid to stretch out a syllable.

·       Speak slowly, boldly, and give every read the same energy as the starting lineups.

·       It’s not about you—add to the game experience but never turn spectators eyes away from the field.

·       Enjoy the game. It’s okay to have fun watching sports for a living, and your enthusiasm will transfer through the mic.

Now over a decade later that same inspiration still pushes me. My athletic career has since ended, but that’s given way to a new chapter in my story. I invite you to join me for the coming seasons—both in sports and in life—as I continue to chase the Big League dream.

TM