Up & Coming Weekly

January 15, 2019

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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JANUARY 16-22, 2019 UCW 21 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM PA announcers need to be neutral by EARL VAUGHAN JR. I've been to a few high school basketball games over the years where the person keeping the scorebook at the courtside table wore a striped shirt like the ones the officials wear. I think that's a good idea because the official score- keeper at a high school game is in many ways as much a part of the officiat- ing crew as the people who run up and down the court blowing their whistles. But I'd like to make a case for someone else at that table, and in the press box at high school football games, who might want to put on one of those striped shirts on game night: the public- address announcer. Before you call me crazy, listen to my case. I've been to several games where the announc- er should have been wearing a completely differ- ent type of uniform. He or she would have been more suitably dressed as a cheerleader, because for the better part of the game, that's mostly what they did on the loudspeakers — root, root for the home team. I know a lot of fans are going to disagree with me, but cheering is not the job of the PA announc- er. PA announcers, like the officials calling the game, need to be neutral. There's no reason to be totally vanilla behind the microphone. It's okay to show some excitement when announcing a great play. But keep it to the basics. Give names and numbers. Statistics. That sort of thing. Don't show favoritism for one team. Oh, and something else PA announcers shouldn't do — criticize the officials. I was at a basketball game some years ago, and the announcer was getting a little too involved, calling play-by-play and making editorial calls on the officiating. Finally, after one situation, the announcer complained for all to hear that the officials had missed a "terrible" traveling call. The game was stopped, and the head of the officiating crew requested that the announcer be removed immediately and replaced. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has a code of what it calls expectations for announcers that call postseason games. It is good rule of practice for announcers in regular- season games as well. Here are some highlights: • The announcer shouldn't try to be bigger than the event and draw attention to himself or herself. • Announcers can have a big influence on the game. Cheerleading or inciting the crowd is out of line. • Always promote sportsmanship and treat the opposing team and its fans as welcome guests. • Know your job and the rules of the game you're calling. In short, leave the cheering to the cheerleaders, and share information with the fans that may not be readily available to them. Treat everybody on both teams with respect and it will be a better experience for all involved. Demauriea Nickelson Seventy-First • Senior • Basketball Nickelson has a 3.5 grade point average. In addition to playing basketball, he's a mem- ber of the Academically and Intellectually Gifted program and Distributive Education Clubs of America. JahHyrah McCain Seventy-First • Junior • Bowling McCain has a 3.6 grade point average. She's a member of the bowling team and also a dancer. Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop congratulates these amazing scholar athletes of the week and invites them to the Rocket Fizz Store at 1916 Skibo Rd. to receive a FREE gift recognizing their achievement! www.rocketfizz.com Before you call me crazy, listen to my case. 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 FRIDAY Basketball coverage will begin soon on WCLN 105.7 FM Check website NCPrepSports.net for schedule of county games & WILL BE PRESENTING CUMBERLAND COUNTY BASKETBALL IN 2019 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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