P.A. Announcer Adds National Tournament to Resume
P.A. Announcer Adds National Tournament to Resume
Duane Meis, NASPAA member, was an announcer of the 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament. The tournament was held March 17-21 at the Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Meis, has been announcing high school and college sports for the past 18 years. The NJCAA Men's Basketball Tournament was his first national tournament.
"Announcing the NJCAA tournament has a different feel from announcing regular season games," commented Meis. "Impartiality becomes paramount, despite any personal bias a person may have. Every team in the tournament worked very hard just to get there, as they won their state/region, so you need to make sure it feels like a neutral atmosphere. The pressure not to make a mistake is significant; as the crowds are large, and many of the starting lineups are carried live on-air in several states throughout the tournament."
"I didn't know that Duane was going to announce," remarked Brad Rumble, NASPAA Executive Director. "I was in for the first day of the tournament, and was pleasantly surprised when I realized that the voice I was hearing was Duane's. He really did a nice job. I was extremely impressed with his professionalism."