From Television and Newspapers to Youtube and Facebook

Dave Lax: Tip of the Week

Back when I was in high school, you would rarely see a local newspaper reporter or photographer at your game. Talking to the media wasn’t a lesson that most coaches would address. Back then if I was approached by a reporter I would answer their questions and try not to stutter too much. I mean how many people were actually going to read the Columbia Flier’s local high school sports section (circulation 37,000)?

However, today everyone has a video camera, phone that records audio/video and digital cameras. Every action you take off the field is just as noticed and talked about as the ones you take on the field.

I cannot tell you how many times I am at one of our Baseball Factory Player Development events and I see or hear a player act or speak inappropriately to a reporter or even a coach. Now “reporters” can come from anywhere. It doesn’t have to be the beat writer for the Washington Post, it can be a local publication, a blog, coach or even a parent for the team’s newsletter. How you carry yourself and understanding how to speak to the media is very important. With access to videos, pictures and newspaper articles, college coaches, recruiters and the general public can learn more about you then you may even be aware of.

I wanted to talk about the importance of speaking to the media (including television, newspaper, parents, bloggers and anyone documenting the event). When addressing an audience, television camera or even conducting a phone interview try and think about the following:

1. Be able to control your emotions after a game whether you win or lose.

2. Thank the sponsors, tournament director, staff, umpires and fans.

Usually the people putting on the event or game put a lot of effort making the event run smoothly. It shows maturity to recognize all the people involved in the process of this event.

3. Speak positively about opponents, being respectful of their playing ability and personal attributes.

If you watch most pro athletes give a post-game interview, you will hear them speak about the quality team they just played. You will never hear Derek Jeter say “Can you believe how bad that second baseman was tonight?” Whether it was a blowout or a hard fought battle, both sides deserve to be there and the credit that goes along with getting to that stage. So win or lose, being respectful is a must.

4. Be aware of posture and make eye contact with fans and on-field personnel.

5. Answer questions with a clear and concise answer.

Try not to ramble, as this may cause you to go off topic.

6. Always appear to be friendly, considerate and easygoing with reporters. Try to remember names and always be polite and patient with reporters who may not have an understanding of sports terminology.

You always want to be courteous to whomever you speak with after a game. I know how hard it is sometimes to speak about a game after a tough loss, but sometimes as a leader you will need to talk about the game and represent yourself and your team. It is important to approach the media with respect because they will publish how they view you and if you are hostile it may affect the way others see you. A good tactic is to always repeat the reporters name and publication back to them to help you remember who they are.

Not everyone grows up playing sports; even if they follow it on a regular basis there are certain terms and language that the general “fan” may not understand. When explaining something to a reporter, keep your explanations simple so that both advanced and beginner fans can understand your description.

Check back next week for more philosophies you should be aware of when speaking to the media.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.