Grady InternViews: Nicholas Eriksen

This is part of a series where we ask Grady College students to describe their internship experience.  

Nicholas Eriksen is a fourth-year journalism major, sport media certificate student and broadcasting intern for Kane County Cougars Professional Baseball Team. Read more about his internship experience below. 

Provide a brief overview of your role and its associated responsibilities. 

I am classified this season as a broadcasting intern. This role helps me gain experience from many different positions. I help create and update graphics for live broadcasts, use stationary and hand held cameras for the broadcast and scoreboard, and occasionally, do play-by-play/color commentary for the broadcasts.

What opportunities did you have during your internship? 

I have had several opportunities to help gain more experience in various fields of sports media. I have operated cameras, created and updated graphics and done play-by-play commentary. I have also learned to use a lot of different equipment during my time at Kane County. I have learned to operate broadcast-quality cameras, broadcast mixers, consoles, microphones and receivers. I have also learned how to use different platforms such as OBS (Open Broadcast Software) and Photoshop. I have worked alongside many professionals such as ESPN+’s Connor Clingen and the Pittsburgh Penguins’ very own Joe Brand.

What is one piece of work you are proud of creating in this role? 

I have gotten to create a lot of different projects during my time with the Cougars. Besides doing play-by-play, one of my favorite things that I have done is getting to interview and talk to the players. I have interviewed the team a couple times and have asked questions that fans may have. I was able to create short videos of these interviews and post them on my TikTok.

If you want to check some of them out, my TikTok is @eriksen_228.

How has the Grady curriculum prepared you for this internship?

Grady has been such an amazing experience so far and has helped coach me to be the best I can be. I have seen a lot of the stuff we have done in class in my everyday work environment. The teachers are truly setting students up for success because of all the hands-on work we are doing. Field-reporting has been the biggest piece of help for me since it has given me more experience with talking in front of a camera and how to act in a professional setting.

Did you receive any mentorship or guidance? How did it impact your experience?

I have done a handful of broadcasts for the team. During one particular instance, I had the honor of calling the game with Joe Brand, the current radio broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Joe has accomplished so much in his career. He had been the broadcaster for the Cougars for several years and also worked for the Chicago Blackhawks on WGN. Joe was super kind and was able to give me many tips and insight on how to improve my broadcasting skills. Working with Joe helped me feel more confident in my commentary because he helped coach me throughout the broadcast. He specifically helped me on expanding my vocabulary in my play-calling.

What challenges have you overcome in this role? 

Moments of uncertainty in sports can be difficult for those working behind the scenes. There have been many instances during games where a play is under review for a while, and announcers and cameramen are responsible for filling those gaps on the broadcast. During one of my broadcasts, there was a play that was under review for about 20 minutes. During that time I learned to improvise on-air and help fill in for down-time on the broadcast. After reviewing the play for a while, I then asked my color analyst some questions to help pass the down-time. I learned to do this from people I have worked with throughout my internship. These moments have also happened to me when I have worked behind the camera. When this happens, our technical director helps guide us to getting a variety of different shots for the broadcast.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you gained from your experience? 

The most valuable piece of advice I have been given during my internship is to be flexible in the sports media field. I have been told by so many people that having the ability to do more than one thing in the media world is important to employers. This can later help get your foot in the door in case one position is already filled. I have come to the conclusion that sports media is something you work your way through. You may not get your dream job right away – and that’s ok! By gaining more experiences, you’re opening yourself up to more job opportunities.

How has this internship influenced your future career? 

This internship has helped me further confirm that sports broadcasting and play-by-play is what I want to do. Sports media has always held a special place in my heart, and having the opportunity to work with a professional team such as the Cougars has helped me gain more experience to better myself and learn more about what it’s like having a career in sports. I have learned that being in a position where I can call sports games is more of a privilege and a passion than a job.

Editor: Lily Alarcon, lia52467@uga.edu