Job Of A Lifetime?

I don't think it's any stretch to say that, as kids who loved the game of hockey, we all dreamed of scoring that overtime, championship-winning goal for our favorite teams. Usually, we'd provide our own commentary to this dream, adding in the player we wanted to resemble or the team we wished to be playing for when this moment occurred. For people like me, that dream never really materialized, but that's how the puck bounces for some of us. We hang up the skates, move on from the game, and live happy lives.

But what if you could call that goal and have the world hear you?

Announced today by Pattison Media and the University of Saskatchewan, the radio conglomerate and the Saskatoon institution, respectively, are forming a partnership where they are looking to create an all-female broadcast team to call games for the Saskatchewan Huskies women's hockey team both at home and on the road that will be broadcast throughout Saskatchewan on Pattison radio stations and through the new HuskieFAN app and website!

The job itself is exactly what you'd imagine it to be: call games, conduct post-game interviews, do some additional radio and video work, and be the radio voice of all things Huskies women's hockey! The successful candidate will travel with the team and call away and home games which will be broadcast live both on the app and Pattison radio stations in North Battleford, Melfort, and Prince Albert for fans to hear!

Personally, this is an incredible opportunity for female radio hosts if they were interested, and it should be one that former U SPORTS women's hockey players - specifically players who attended or are attending the University of Saskatchewan - should consider if they want to stay in the game. Having worked on UMFM for the past decade and covering the Bisons, I can tell you that I am envious of this position already since the successful candidate will have hockey as their full-time job with Pattison. That's an incredible opportunity!

"I think the pool is deep and I think one of the things about this opportunity is we're going to uncover talent from some broadcasters that they didn't know they had, who never gave play-by-play a thought, which has generally been dominated by males in the past," Wray Morrison, Senior Producer, Host and Partnership Coordinator for HuskieFAN, told Broadcast Dialogue. "This could really open the door. That's what I'm looking forward to seeing, a broadcaster who maybe doesn't know they had play-by-play in their toolkit."

If you listen to The Hockey Show, you know how much Jenna and I were in awe of Kenzie Lalonde and her work for EastLink in calling QMJHL games. If you listen to Bisons women's hockey broadcasts, you know how good Kyleigh Palmer is in calling games. Both Kenzie and Kyleigh were U SPORTS players who have come back to the game to be broadcasters, and the game is better for it. That's not to mention incredible women like Leah Hextall who will call NHL games on ESPN this year or Cassie Campbell-Pascal who will join ESPN next season as well. You could be part of that!

If you think you've got the goods, there are a few criteria that Morrison is looking for in his search. Those criteria include:

• Excellent play-by-play skills and ability to produce and execute a hockey game broadcast.
• Post-secondary diploma/degree in broadcast journalist OR minimum 2 years broadcast exerience OR extensive hockey background.
• Working knowledge of digital news including social media, videography, and Canadian Press (CP) writing style.
• Ability to travel on the road, with the team, for extended periods of time throughout the season.

Of all of that criteria, the one that seemingly would matter least would be the working knowledge of digital news. If you've caught a Bisons women's hockey broadcast, you know we break those ideals by forging ahead with our own voices and stories regardless of our journalistic background, and that's what makes for good broadcasts - finding your own voice! It's helpful to know a little in that regard, but people like Bob Cole, Mike Lange, Chris Cuthbert, and Doc Emrick didn't have that knowledge and their voices are part of the hockey memories that people talk about fondly.

The other three criteria seem pretty vital, so make sure you have that knowledge and skill set if you're planning on applying for this unique position. If you're a former player or a current broadcaster, the second criterion seems filled by default. Learning to do play-by-play, as Kyleigh can attest to, isn't easy, but it can be done in a few weeks with some criticism and praise. The fourth criterion of travel would see you visit places like Langley, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, and Winnipeg where you'd meet goofballs like me where we can share stories.

Ok, maybe that last part isn't a selling feature, but you should still go for it if you want to be part of something incredibly special! Having gone to London, Ontario and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for the U SPORTS National Tournament was incredible, and the Huskies look like they're building something special for this season. Perhaps you'll visit Charlottetown with the team as well?

Applications for this position have to be in by August 31, 2021, and they must include your resume, writing examples, on-air demo, and a completed copy of the Pattison Media New Applicant Self ID form. All of that needs to be sent to Wray Morrison so he can vet the applications and find the right person(s) for the job!

Honestly, after doing this craziness for nearly a decade, it's still the most fun I have every week. Showing up at the rink, getting gameday lineups, preparing social media posts, and running down the broadcast with Kyleigh and Bryan while chatting with the stats people and the reporter from the Manitoban brings me an endless amount of joy, and we haven't even turned the microphones on yet.

Once the game starts, everything else is secondary as Kyleigh calls the action and I stand back and be impressed by her work and her talent. We get to watch the beauty of the game when things click and the pain of the game when pucks are fished out of nets. We get to know the players and coaches and staff, sharing in their successes and suffering through their pains as they smile and grimace throughout each moment. And when the game is over and we slump in our chairs as we come down from the high of calling an exciting Canada West game, the smile on my face is because I know I'm one of the luckiest people in the world to work with such a talented crew of people who make me love this game more and more as the season progresses.

That could be you this season as you call games for the Saskatchewan Huskies. All you have to do is apply. The dream is still alive, so get your application in and realize it this season with Pattison Media and the University of Saskatchewan!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!