Spring Break
CSU alum becomes Voice of the Rockies
Reed Saunders' voice booms over Coors Field
Anica Wong
Issue date: 4/24/07 Section: News
"I blanked out. There were TV cameras, lights…it was pressure packed," Saunders said.
But he was able to pull it together and talked about his role as the announcer for the Eagles and his beliefs about the role of a good announcer.
"Never be part of the show," Saunders told the judges. "Just contribute to the atmosphere."
The auditioning group was then cut to 10 contestants and Saunders continued on through.
Saunders' next assignment was to read through a packet of different scenarios that might happen during a baseball game.
Judges then cut seven people out of the contest to get down to the final three.
"I was freaking out, trying to keep it together. I started to well up," Saunders said.
He made the cut.
The three finalists waited a week while fans voted for their favorite announcer online. At the end of the week, 850 KOA was going to broadcast the winners on live radio. There was a hitch, though.
All three finalists would be live and would have to say "Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to Coors Field." The hitch - only the winner's voice would be broadcasted.
As Saunders sat in his cubicle at Coors in Golden, co-workers around him yelled and screamed as they heard his voice broadcasted on the radio. Saunders had just become the second voice of the Colorado Rockies and one of the youngest public address announcers in professional sports.
Now, Saunders is settling into his new job, one that pays him to watch baseball.
On Saturday, Saunders came full circle back to his humble beginnings and announced the spring football scrimmage as the Green squad beat the Gold squad.
"I wanted to help them because they helped me," Saunders said of CSU.
Staff writer Anica Wong can be reached at news@collegian.com.
But he was able to pull it together and talked about his role as the announcer for the Eagles and his beliefs about the role of a good announcer.
"Never be part of the show," Saunders told the judges. "Just contribute to the atmosphere."
The auditioning group was then cut to 10 contestants and Saunders continued on through.
Saunders' next assignment was to read through a packet of different scenarios that might happen during a baseball game.
Judges then cut seven people out of the contest to get down to the final three.
"I was freaking out, trying to keep it together. I started to well up," Saunders said.
He made the cut.
The three finalists waited a week while fans voted for their favorite announcer online. At the end of the week, 850 KOA was going to broadcast the winners on live radio. There was a hitch, though.
All three finalists would be live and would have to say "Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to Coors Field." The hitch - only the winner's voice would be broadcasted.
As Saunders sat in his cubicle at Coors in Golden, co-workers around him yelled and screamed as they heard his voice broadcasted on the radio. Saunders had just become the second voice of the Colorado Rockies and one of the youngest public address announcers in professional sports.
Now, Saunders is settling into his new job, one that pays him to watch baseball.
On Saturday, Saunders came full circle back to his humble beginnings and announced the spring football scrimmage as the Green squad beat the Gold squad.
"I wanted to help them because they helped me," Saunders said of CSU.
Staff writer Anica Wong can be reached at news@collegian.com.
Be the first to comment on this story