Above: Valparaiso University graduate Adam Amin
A spring Valparaiso University graduate has been named one of the nation's top collegiate sportscasters in an annual competition sponsored by the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America.
Adam Amin, a television-radio communication major from Addison, Ill., took fourth place in the STAA All-America program recognizing the nation's most outstanding young sports broadcasters. He and other collegiate sportscasters were evaluated by STAA staff and a panel of industry professionals that included Indiana Pacers play-by-play announcer Mark Boyle, Atlanta Falcons broadcaster Wes Durham and Ohio State University play-by-play announcer Paul Keels.
Amin provided live play-by-play commentary of Valpo basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball and softball games for student-operated radio station WVUR 95.1 FM throughout his four years on campus. He also served as a color analyst and studio host for football and basketball broadcasts on the multi-station Valpo Sports Radio Network, as a reporter and play-by-play commentator for Horizon League Network telecasts, and as a play-by-play broadcaster for the Gary RailCats minor league baseball team.
Amin said he took advantage of numerous opportunities through WVUR to grow more confidant in his broadcasting skills.
"The only way to get better as a broadcaster is to broadcast over and over, to do it more and more," Amin said. "Repetition allows a broadcaster to develop comfort, style, pace and the ability to storytell. In four years at WVUR, I was able to call almost 200 games and I was part of almost 300 broadcasts. The opportunity was there from the first day I walked in and I was grateful to have it."
For the STAA competition, Amin provided play-by-play samples of a Valpo basketball game and a Gary Railcats baseball game.
Amin began working with the Gary RailCats last summer and currently is doing play-by-play and media relations work for the team.
"Like any broadcaster, I certainly have the ultimate goal of working for a major network," Amin said. "I would love to be able to call play-by-play for a company that has rights to a major sport, such as CBS or ESPN. But doing this makes me happier than anything else, and if I am able to make a living as a broadcaster, working year-round and feeling like I'm having fun in a job, I think I'll sleep pretty easily at night."
This spring, Amin also was honored for his broadcasting work with WVUR in an annual competition sponsored by the Indiana Association of Student Broadcasters, taking first place in the Radio Sportscast category and second place in Radio Imaging.
Cameron Banga, WVUR general manager and a senior economics major from Hobart, said Amin's selection as an STAA All-American is indicative of the quality of news, sports and DJ programming at Valpo's student radio station.
More information about WVUR is available online.
