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EWING – It’s simple enough to fall in love with sports radio when growing up in the Delaware Valley, the vast outline of the relentless greenery at the tail of your attention during any local drive. There is always the moment, and this moment comes at any dull point in conversation, when your right hand turns to crank the volume dial, accenting the powerful opinions of Philadelphia’s career radio personalities.
This was the case for TCNJ student Paul Mitchell, a medical school applicant and Biology major, who took over one of the premiere occupations that mix the college’s outstanding Communications Department and its myriad of widely recognized Division III athletic programs.
This position is that of being the Sports Director of the school’s long-lasting radio station, 91.3FM WTSR.
Mitchell, a friendly presence on campus for the many who know him, knew that once he got to TCNJ, he had to follow up his love for radio in a unique way, molding himself after what he believes to be a world-class radio broadcasting team in Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen for the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Scott and LA, aside from being complete professionals and hardworking, taught me how to have fun,” Mitchell said. “It’s easy to get caught up in the game and the nerve-wracking idea of being on the air and forget how much fun broadcasting is. Those two have three or four running jokes that get me every time. I always try to remind the broadcasters that their job is important, but if you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.”
It sounds like an easy answer, but that’s what it’s about for the department head. He just wants to have fun calling the sports that he loves.
Coming in as a freshman in 2012, all Mitchell knew was that he had two things that led him to the path of radio broadcasting: his love for the Philadelphia Phillies’ radio broadcasting on humid, sticky summer nights, and of a natural gift – his sweltering baritone voice that made him an instant hit at the station.
Because the nature of The College of New Jersey’s athletic programs are not as big a market as some other New Jersey counterparts, Mitchell was able to begin chasing his aspirations of radio broadcasting early in his higher education career.
By the end of the first semester, he had already built a relationship with the program’s sports director at the time, James ‘Goat Cheese’ Goetschius, and had begun calling TCNJ’s football games both on the air, and in a streaming session that lined up with filmed video of the game online – both live.
“He always struck me as someone who came at you with this friendly aloofness, as if he was daring you to be comfortable around him,” said Goetschius. “We knew that we had to capture his personality on air, instantly.”
So, they did. And now, three years later, Mitchell finds himself in year two of being the Sports Director at the station. Among other things, his responsibilities include finding adequate coverage (two broadcasters and one board operator) for every home football, basketball, or baseball game, and taking over the supervisor role working for New York Yankees’ AA affiliate, the Trenton Thunder.
He plans to use this leadership experience and high-pressure position with the Thunder to help his future career as an MD.
“I know that the leadership and communication skills will help me as a future doctor,” Mitchell said. “Leading the TCNJ Sports department has taught me a lot about delegating responsibility, accountability, and consistency in the workplace- skills that are necessary to working in a hospital or running a private practice. In addition, it’s shown me good methods for how to get the best work out of others.”
Though baseball (according to him) is his first love, once Mitchell took over the position from Goetschius, he started immersing himself into Lions football. Because of the scheduling, he doesn’t get to call every game, but he’s definitely a known commodity amongst the players.
“It’s huge,” said Mitchell. “Being connected with a team and following them week to week adds a whole other dimension to calling games. Not the mention the players love it when I see them off the field and comment on something they did during last week’s game.”
After a breakdown in communications last year, Mitchell’s pride and joy, his sports program at TSR, broke down, and the radio station was not able to cover several football games and most of the winter basketball games.
“This year I’m sending out the schedule to every game way in advance so that people can sign up for days that work for them,” Mitchell said of some impending changes to the station’s operations. “In the past, we’ve pulled together a crew throughout the week but this resulted in missing a lot of games when people were busy. With our new plan, if everyone takes a game here or there, we’ll have more filled up when I know people are free, and can work to fill in the gaps later on.”
Now that he’s had the time and experience at the top, he’s not bashful about sharing his view on what it takes to be a successful broadcaster.
“Harry Kalas always said this: do your homework.”
So, after a rough offseason of change and an even tougher season for his coveted Philadelphia Phillies, WTSR is set to cover this weekend’s game against Kean, and Mitchell, the scholastically and athletically motivated captain of the ship, wouldn’t want it any other way.
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