I am proud to announce that I will be joining the West Virginia Power broadcast and production team this summer. The Power are the Class-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates located in Charleston, West Virginia.
This opportunity would not be possible without the Pittsburgh Center for Sports Media and
Marketing and Point Park University who took the chance of sending a freshman to the 2014 Baseball Winter Meetings where I applied and interviewed for the position, among a number of others.
Thank you to everybody, especially my parents, who have supported me throughout this journey. I can't wait to see what else is in store for me and I hope I can make everyone back home proud.
Josh
---------------------
 |
| Charleston, West Virginia |
This was the first public announcement that I made in regards to my job with the West Virginia Power for this summer. Here is everything that happened to lead up to that post and everything that has happened since:
I received an email January 14 from the production coordinator for the Power. It was a lengthy email basically saying that he wanted to set up a time to conduct a phone interview. I told him that I was free the next day and we set up a 3:00 interview time. My last class ends at 2:30 and so it was perfect. He also told me to have a few references prepared.
I reached out to my references to see if it was still okay to use them as references and tell them that they may be contacted. One of my reference that I used was Tom McMillan, the VP of Communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins and one of the co-founders of the Center. He of course said that I could use him as a reference.
Then he sent a P.S. email. He told me to give him the name and email of the person that would be interviewing me and that he would love to drop him a note. So I did and about an hour later he told me that he sent him an email putting a good word in for me.
This was huge, especially coming from somebody working with a professional team. He told me later that people in this business know that they're not going to send out recommendations unless they would want that person working for them.
After I got out of class the next day at 2:30 I had another email from WV. He had to postpone the interview until 4:00, which just meant that I had to anxiously wait for another hour. I went to Starbucks to try and pass the time and came back and sat at my desk until 4:00. He finally called at 4:15 and the interview was underway.
The first thing he asked me about was the PA announcing that I did for the Butler Varsity Girls' Lacrosse team the past two years. He said that he's never seen a lacrosse game and wanted to know exactly what it was that I did.
This question told me that he had actually looked at my resume because that was buried down in there.
Then he asked me what sort of feature videos I produced and directed for BTTV and what else I did with BTTV. He loved the feature video idea for our morning show and asked me to describe one of the memorable ones that I did. I proceeded to tell him about a scary movie cliche video that we did.
He thought that was genius and wanted to know how I would promote a zombie night at the park. He seemed like such a fun guy and we just laughed and had a good conversation. He told me that they use an older version of the editing software that I use, coincidently the same version that Butler used when I was there.
He went on to tell me everything that I would be doing if I was offered the job. It is a very hands on job that involves a lot of editing, filming and on-air work.
On-air work? Yes please. That was huge and a major factor to me choosing them. He told me that I would do an occasional highlight reel from the previous game as a chance to get on air and get my name and face out there. It's another thing that I can use on my reel and show future teams that I have done real work like this.
He then asked me what my nickname was in high school. I told him that I didn't really have a nickname, but everyone has already called me Croup.
He hasn't called me Josh since.
Before I could even get another word in he offered me the job. "We'd love to have you down here, Croup," he said.
Two things I didn't expect there at the end of the conversation:
1: Him offering me the job
2. Him calling me Croup
This was a team that seemed like they wanted me from the beginning and the fact that they are already calling me Croup as a type of recruiting tool was special to me.
I asked a couple of questions and told him that I would get back to him with an answer after I talked about it with some people. First my parents and then the Center. I just so happened to be meeting with them the next morning for a conference call.
On the call, I told Tom that he didn't even ask me for my references. Tom told me that his 'note' must have worked then. When Mike jumped in to the conversation, he told me to really consider this, especially since there is on-air work involved. Tom said that he would have accepted the job on the phone right then and there, but gave me props for not accepting right away and for taking time to think about it first.
Mike ended the call by saying, "Go for the Power, Josh!"
They were so excited for me and had been so supportive throughout the whole process.
Even more importantly to me and to them alike, this helps set the tone for future students with the Center. There was some pressure on us in San Diego to do well, because if we didn't, they would never send anyone to anything like this again. The NHL has a similar event, and the Winter Meetings are held every year. There are so many opportunities that the Center has to send kids places, but we had to "Pioneer" the way for those in the future.
All it would take was one of us to get a job and it would be a success. Yes we got to meet people and got interviews, but actually landing and accepting a job was the goal. I achieved their and my goal in San Diego. They told me that they want me to help with the selection process in future years and coach future students. They also said that there is a spot for me on the plane if I ever want to go again. Next year's meetings are in Nashville.
The next night at around 10:00, Mike emailed me telling me to call him. Mike isn't a fan of texting. I called him as I was walking back from Duquesne. He was in an airport somewhere in the country. I swear he's in a different airport every day.
He gave me so much encouragement and told me that he didn't want to seem like he was pressuring me to make a decision. I told him not to worry. He told me that if I get it that he will help with anything that he can and really just gave me a ton of encouragement and good advice. It was really meaningful that he took the time to do that and I will never forget that phone call.
I called WV back the next week informing them that I was accepting the position. We discussed housing and start/end dates and the whole time he called me Croup. When he transferred me to the head of interns, HE called me Croup. So it's safe to say that I'm known as Croup in Butler and Charleston. But not Pittsburgh. That hasn't stuck yet for some reason.
I already feel like I am apart of the West Virginia Power family and cannot wait for this summer. It will be challenging beyond belief, but the rewards and opportunities that can come out of this are limitless.
I landed my first broadcasting job/internship at the age of 19. I'm satisfied with that. I'm thrilled. My supporting cast consisting of my family, girlfriend, friends and mentors has been so incredible. I couldn't do anything with out them. I do most of it for them.
For now, I'll "Power" forward for the rest of the semester and try and figure out how this crazy summer is going to work out. I'm incredibly lucky and thankful for this. I can't say that enough.
Who knows, maybe I'll take over for Greg Brown some day. Maybe I'll sit alongside Matt Vasgersian. Maybe I'll sit at an anchor desk. Maybe I'll be a public address announcer. I don't know where I'll end up. I do know that the first step was Point Park University and the second is with the West Virginia Power.
Go Power, and Power forward.
Because, why not?
Josh Croup
I reached out to my references to see if it was still okay to use them as references and tell them that they may be contacted. One of my reference that I used was Tom McMillan, the VP of Communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins and one of the co-founders of the Center. He of course said that I could use him as a reference.
Then he sent a P.S. email. He told me to give him the name and email of the person that would be interviewing me and that he would love to drop him a note. So I did and about an hour later he told me that he sent him an email putting a good word in for me.
This was huge, especially coming from somebody working with a professional team. He told me later that people in this business know that they're not going to send out recommendations unless they would want that person working for them.
After I got out of class the next day at 2:30 I had another email from WV. He had to postpone the interview until 4:00, which just meant that I had to anxiously wait for another hour. I went to Starbucks to try and pass the time and came back and sat at my desk until 4:00. He finally called at 4:15 and the interview was underway.
The first thing he asked me about was the PA announcing that I did for the Butler Varsity Girls' Lacrosse team the past two years. He said that he's never seen a lacrosse game and wanted to know exactly what it was that I did.
This question told me that he had actually looked at my resume because that was buried down in there.
Then he asked me what sort of feature videos I produced and directed for BTTV and what else I did with BTTV. He loved the feature video idea for our morning show and asked me to describe one of the memorable ones that I did. I proceeded to tell him about a scary movie cliche video that we did.
He thought that was genius and wanted to know how I would promote a zombie night at the park. He seemed like such a fun guy and we just laughed and had a good conversation. He told me that they use an older version of the editing software that I use, coincidently the same version that Butler used when I was there.
He went on to tell me everything that I would be doing if I was offered the job. It is a very hands on job that involves a lot of editing, filming and on-air work.
On-air work? Yes please. That was huge and a major factor to me choosing them. He told me that I would do an occasional highlight reel from the previous game as a chance to get on air and get my name and face out there. It's another thing that I can use on my reel and show future teams that I have done real work like this.
He then asked me what my nickname was in high school. I told him that I didn't really have a nickname, but everyone has already called me Croup.
He hasn't called me Josh since.
Before I could even get another word in he offered me the job. "We'd love to have you down here, Croup," he said.
Two things I didn't expect there at the end of the conversation:
1: Him offering me the job
2. Him calling me Croup
This was a team that seemed like they wanted me from the beginning and the fact that they are already calling me Croup as a type of recruiting tool was special to me.
I asked a couple of questions and told him that I would get back to him with an answer after I talked about it with some people. First my parents and then the Center. I just so happened to be meeting with them the next morning for a conference call.
On the call, I told Tom that he didn't even ask me for my references. Tom told me that his 'note' must have worked then. When Mike jumped in to the conversation, he told me to really consider this, especially since there is on-air work involved. Tom said that he would have accepted the job on the phone right then and there, but gave me props for not accepting right away and for taking time to think about it first.
Mike ended the call by saying, "Go for the Power, Josh!"
They were so excited for me and had been so supportive throughout the whole process.
Even more importantly to me and to them alike, this helps set the tone for future students with the Center. There was some pressure on us in San Diego to do well, because if we didn't, they would never send anyone to anything like this again. The NHL has a similar event, and the Winter Meetings are held every year. There are so many opportunities that the Center has to send kids places, but we had to "Pioneer" the way for those in the future.
All it would take was one of us to get a job and it would be a success. Yes we got to meet people and got interviews, but actually landing and accepting a job was the goal. I achieved their and my goal in San Diego. They told me that they want me to help with the selection process in future years and coach future students. They also said that there is a spot for me on the plane if I ever want to go again. Next year's meetings are in Nashville.
The next night at around 10:00, Mike emailed me telling me to call him. Mike isn't a fan of texting. I called him as I was walking back from Duquesne. He was in an airport somewhere in the country. I swear he's in a different airport every day.
He gave me so much encouragement and told me that he didn't want to seem like he was pressuring me to make a decision. I told him not to worry. He told me that if I get it that he will help with anything that he can and really just gave me a ton of encouragement and good advice. It was really meaningful that he took the time to do that and I will never forget that phone call.
I called WV back the next week informing them that I was accepting the position. We discussed housing and start/end dates and the whole time he called me Croup. When he transferred me to the head of interns, HE called me Croup. So it's safe to say that I'm known as Croup in Butler and Charleston. But not Pittsburgh. That hasn't stuck yet for some reason.
I already feel like I am apart of the West Virginia Power family and cannot wait for this summer. It will be challenging beyond belief, but the rewards and opportunities that can come out of this are limitless.
I landed my first broadcasting job/internship at the age of 19. I'm satisfied with that. I'm thrilled. My supporting cast consisting of my family, girlfriend, friends and mentors has been so incredible. I couldn't do anything with out them. I do most of it for them.
For now, I'll "Power" forward for the rest of the semester and try and figure out how this crazy summer is going to work out. I'm incredibly lucky and thankful for this. I can't say that enough.
Who knows, maybe I'll take over for Greg Brown some day. Maybe I'll sit alongside Matt Vasgersian. Maybe I'll sit at an anchor desk. Maybe I'll be a public address announcer. I don't know where I'll end up. I do know that the first step was Point Park University and the second is with the West Virginia Power.
Go Power, and Power forward.
Because, why not?
Josh Croup
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