Reporting in the fast lane

For my article A Century of Tradition at Indy, I attended three separate events on three separate day: Community Day at the Indy Motor Speedway (IMS), the IPL 500 Festival Parade, and race day.

On Community Day I really enjoyed many things. I got to meet drivers Takuma Sato, Pippa Mann, and 3-time Indy 500 winner Helio Canstroneves. I also watched Alex Tagliani’s pit crew practice changing tires in only five seconds. I got to tour the famous Pagoda with a great view of the Yard of Bricks and the finish line. My hosts from IMS, Julie and Cassie, also spent a lot of time with me and even gave me a tour of the Media Center. After our tour, I got to help Cassie pick out a “Fan of the Day,” which is done daily at IMS. We chose a man who had been to 37 Indianapolis 500 races in a row.

At the IPL 500 Festival Parade, I was lucky enough to get a media pass. The celebrities in the parade enjoyed breakfast at the Downtown Indianapolis Library and then walked down the checkered carpet to talk to the media. In the media area, I met Indianapolis Star columnist Cathy Kightlinger. She and I stood next to each other as the celebrities walked out of the library. We both worked together and had so much fun doing it.

It was very exciting getting to talk to the 500 Festival Parade Grand Marshal, Anderson Cooper. I asked if he had any good tips for reporters like me.

“I think the most important thing is just to write a lot,” he said. “Even if you’re not a print reporter, if you’re a radio reporter or a TV reporter, learning and finding your voice is an important thing and it takes time.”

Although there are many long-standing traditions at IMS, this year they decided to try something new. To attract younger fans to the Indy 500, the IMS and Hot Wheels got together to build a life-sized Hot Wheels track with a 100-foot high ramp and 332 foot long jump! A mystery driver would make the jump and be announced after the stunt. The driver, Tanner Foust, completed the jump to the other side of the ramp, beating the world record by 31 feet.

After all the festivities it was finally race day. I will never forget the sound of the racecars and the blur of all thirty-three cars racing around the two-and-half mile long track for 200 laps. The exciting finish left everyone hanging. Nobody knew who won. Rookie JR Hildebrand crashed on his final lap on the final turn in first place. With just enough time before the yellow flag was raised, Dan Wheldon drove by Hildebrand to win his second Indianapolis 500.

Do you watch racing? Do you have a favorite driver? Let us know in the comments below!

—Kid Reporter Grace Ybarra

Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports

When you think of Disney World, you may automatically think of Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, or the huge castle in Magic Kingdom. But did you know that Disney World has an entire sports park just for athletes and their really devoted fans? Recently, my family and I got invited to Disney World to tour Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports. 

The Wide World of Sports complex spans about 230 acres, all of it holding bunches and bunches of fields for any sport imaginable and any team that plays it. It also hosts more than 300 sporting events annually, including spring training camp for the Atlanta Braves, exhibition games for many other major league teams, and many amateur athlete tournaments from all over the country.

The Wide World of Sports also has some fascinating technology, and all of it is developed right there at the facilities. Through their work and with the help of the many games held at the parks, ESPN has come up with many ways to help coaches, athletes, and fans get into the game, including creating 3D televisions to make you feel like you are actually at the sporting event and high-def broadcasting so that you can see everything going on at the field. The Wide World of Sports is actually the headquarters for where the inventors of all of that technology do all of the testing and inventing for ESPN, and we got to see where they worked. 

We also got to do some pretty cool stuff while we were there. We got a tour of the fields and got to go inside some of the buildings that had just been upgraded. We also saw the unveiling of the new fieldhouse for all of the athletes and coaches. At the unveiling, we saw Mia Hamm, world famous soccer player, and Jason Witten, NFL star. Mia Hamm was even signing autographs after the unveiling, and my sister and I got to take a picture with her! My dad also got very excited when we went to go see the Atlanta Braves play against the Detroit Tigers in an exhibition match. 

What I liked a lot was when we got to pose for a picture and they made it look like we were on the cover of ESPN. They had us dress in a Braves jersey and hat and pose with a bat in our hands. It was a really cool picture when it came out. 

So the ESPN complex was definitely a world of fun, from the 3-D television to being on the cover of ESPN! I had a great time at Disney World’s Wide World of Sports.

—Kid Reporter Mari Chiles

Photo courtesy Mari Chiles

Final Final 4 Tonight!

Behind the scenes at the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

A lot of preparations go into making the Final Four NCAA championships seem flawless. At Media Day on the Friday before Saturday’s semi-finals, I got a behind-the-scenes look at just what it takes to host a major sporting event.

Reliant Stadium, which hosted the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo two weeks ago, had been transformed into a basketball arena. The floor had been changed from a rodeo arena good for calf scrambling and barrel racing to the hardwood needed for slam dunks and three point plays.

Because of the massive venue, the court set up is different than for standard games. The NCAA games are being played on a platform raised 30 inches off the ground.

"In most games, the court sits flat,” said David Worlock from the NCAA. “By elevating the floor, it improves the sight lines and allows more seating for the fans." Worlock is expecting a record-breaking crowd of more than 76,000 people for each game.

Not all the work of preparing for the tournament is done by employees. The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council help "Seat Up" Reliant Stadium as part of their upcoming centennial celebration. Girl Scouts helped place more than 70,000 seat cushions on stadium seats.

“It was a lot of work, but I liked the fact that I could help set up an event like the Final Four,” said Ambassador Girl Scout Charlotte Campbell.

On Thursday night alone, Girl Scouts placed 14,447 seat cushions in under three hours. That translates to over 50 seat cushions per hour per girl!

"It was fun working with girls from other troops and seeing all the different preparations for the big game,” said Girl Scout Sharmistha Maity. “I also really appreciated the organization for the event as everything went very smoothly.”

Final Four Friday gave me an insiders view as I personally met the coaches and players. I watched team practices and the All Star game from courtside. Attending the AP player and Coach of the Year press conferences was quite exciting.

BYU senior Jimmer Fredette earned the 2010-2011 Oscar Robertson Trophy. I asked him how he was able to balance work and school.

"While on the road, they bring an academic advisor and we have study hall,” he said. “We may have one or two hours a day while we are on the road to study."

His had some good advice for aspiring student athletes.

“Learn to manage your time,” he said.

Notre Dame's Coach Mike Brey, this year's Coach of the Year, shared his insight into a winning formula.

"Look for players who play with a passion and want a competitive academic atmosphere,” he said. “When you look for students with a great attitude, great work ethic, and great teammates, you build a great team."

The cutest mascot is definitely Blue II, Butler's English bulldog mascot who made the trip to Houston with the team. He traveled on a chartered Southwest airlines flight. He even had a front-row seat, though he mostly spent his time sitting on the floor. Once inside the stadium, though, he was a definite media magnet.

In the next few days, I will be covering other events that Final Four brings to town, such as Bracket Town and Final Four Dribble—almost as exciting as the big games themselves!

Don’t forget: tonight is the final championship game between the Butler Bulldogs (also known as the Under Dawgs!) and the Connecticut Huskies.

—Erin Sheena

PHOTOS: (Top)Erin's Girl Scout troop, including Charlotte Campbell (dark shirt) and Sharmista Maity (white shirt). (BOTTOM). Kid Reporter Erin Sheena with the Butler Bulldog mascot Blue II. (Photos Courtesy Erin Sheena)
 

U.S. vs Agentina Soccer Friendly

Soccer begins with some friendly matches and interviews!

My main goal covering the U.S. vs Argentina men’s soccer friendly was to interview 18-year-old U.S. forward Juan Agudelo, a rising star on the U.S National Team. I got so much more than that!

My dad and I drove four a half hours to the game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home of the New Meadowlands Stadium. After watching the exciting game that ended in a 1-1 tie, I walked to the "mixed zone," an area for the press, and excitedly waited for U.S. players to walk through for interviews.

The first player, goalkeeper Tim Howard, informed me of his personal goals for the coming year.

“I want to just try to continue to play consistently and definitely without question win the Gold Cup,” he said. “That’s a huge thing for us.”

The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Gold Cup is an international tournament in the summer that features countries in the CONCACAF region (USA, Mexico, Honduras, etc.).

Then I spotted Juan Agudelo! A security guard pointed at me and told Agudelo, “One more question with him and then we have to go.” Even so, Juan patiently answered three of my questions.

I first asked how he balances his career with his education.

“Every time I’m in the hotel, my mom always tries to get me to do my online work,” he says. “Education’s very important, you know?”

Agudelo had some great advice for kids who dream of playing pro soccer someday.

“Work hard,” he said. “If you really want it, you can tell that you want it. Everyday you’re going to play and dribble with a ball, no matter what.”

Lastly, the teen striker commented on how the U.S. veterans have helped him develop as a player.

“I just try to copy and learn off of them,” he said. “It’s amazing how professional they are.”

As soon as I finished speaking with Agudelo, the team representative helping me get my interviews, offered to bring Landon Donovan over to me. Of course I accepted! Donavan is a legend. My first reaction was, “Wow! I’m a 14-year-old kid, and Landon Donovan is walking over to speak with ME?!” I then pulled it together, to ask my questions.

Landon first discussed his decision to become a professional soccer player.

“I always said it as a kid, but there was no meaning behind it because there was no professional league here,” he said. “As I got older, probably 15 or 16, right when Major League Soccer started, I started growing into my body, playing well at that, and thinking that maybe this is possible.”

The U.S. soccer icon also expressed his feelings toward being a role model to American youths.

“It’s something I’ve learned to take very seriously, because when you’re young, you don’t think about these things,” he said. “The reality is that a lot of people are looking up to you. I try to make sure that I conduct myself the right way and that I’m someone people want to emulate. That’s in the back of my conscience all the time.”

Landon also had some superb advice for those wanting to play professional soccer.

“Have fun,” he said. “Anything that you enjoy to that extent, you’re going to be good at, right? If you want to be successful and you enjoy it, play as much as you can. There’s time for tactics and fitness and weight lifting, but all that can come later. Have fun, use the ball as a tool as much as you can, and enjoy it.”

—Kevin Agostinelli

PHOTO: Soccer forward Juan Agudelo,18, is a rising star on the U.S National Men's Team. He stopped to talk to Scholastic News Kid Reporter Kevin Agostinelli after the international friendly between the U.S. and Argentina on March 26 in New Jersey. (Photo Courtesy Kevin Agostinelli)

What I learned from ESPN's Dick Vitale

It's March, which means March Madness! And March Madness means that Dick Vitale is doing what he does best: announcing college basketball games.
 
It's no surprise that one of college basketball most recognized voice is that of ESPN's Dick Vitale. Vitale is a Hall Of Fame broadcaster and has been announcing college basketball games for ESPN since the 1979-1980 season.

His passion and enthusiasm has made him the most well known college basketball announcer today. With his trademark sayings, such as, "awesome baby" and "diaper dandies," fans everywhere tune in to listen to Vitale's thorough knowledge and spirited style of broadcasting.

When I interviewed him at ESPN The Weekend in Orlando recently, he gave me some helpful tips on what kids should do if they want to become sports broadcasters, too.   His first tip was that you have to overcome the fear of the camera. To do this, ask your mom or dad to practice filming you on camera.

"I treat the camera like I'm talking to my buddies, my friends," Vitale said. "Make believe you're talking to all of your buddies."

He also suggested that kids watch some of their favorite people on television and study them. Take a microphone and practice auditioning by pretending to interview your favorite celebrity.

"Try to study the people they think the world of and take the microphone and shut the sound off. Into a tape recorder, tape themselves doing a game," Vitale said.


Preparation is also very important. There is short-term preparation and long-term preparation. Long-term preparation consists of all the information you gather before an interview. Short-term preparation is the work you do the day of an interview or telecast. Much goes into total preparation of announcing and interviewing. Dick Vitale makes sure to sit with coaches and Sports Information Directors at univeristies to get all of the necessary information.

"You don't go on TV and start talking without having knowledge to be able to give back to the people," Vitale said.

In order to acquire information, make sure to do research by using the Internet and other resources.

"Today there is so much information out there, because of the Internet," said Vitale.

Once you have your information, you have to sort it all out and find what you believe is good for a telecast or an article.

Vitale's talents and influences extend way beyond just game analyst. When he isn't busy telecasting or writing children books, he is very much involved in raising money for charitable events.

"I try to raise a lot of money for charities. My goal this year is to raise one million dollars for pediatric cancer to help kids battle cancer," Vitale said.

For more on Dick Vitale, visit dickvitaleonline.com.

And be sure to watch my interview with Dick Vitale on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

—Kid Reporter Topanga Sena

Photo: Kid Reporter Topanga Sena with ESPN's Dick Vitale after their interview. (Courtesy Topanga Sena)

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Would you ever want to be a sports broadcaster like Dick Vitale? What sport would you like to cover as an announcer or journalist? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Denver Big Air Competition

World's best skiiers and snowboarders go urban!

Imagine walking up 14 flights of stairs in ski boots, carrying your ski or snowboard equipment. Then at the top of your climb, you look straight down a 300-foot-long ramp that ends—not on the side of a snowy mountain—but in front of a state capitol building.

For the first time in the United States, a 106-foot-tall, man-made mountain was built right in the heart of a major city for the country's first Big Air competition. Big Air was previously been held in Moscow, Russia; Barcelona, Spain; Quebec, Canada; Seoul, Korea; and London, England.

In Denver, Colorado, 28 of the world's best male skiers and snowboarders took part in the two-day competition before tens of thousands of fans. On January 25, skiers ruled the air, while the next day, snowboarders took over with the LG FIS World Cup.

Competitors flew down the ramp reaching speeds of 25 miles per hour. The jump sent them high into the air where they performed their best ski stunts.

I was there for the snowboarding competition and I know you are wondering: Who won?

Michael Macho ended up in 3rd place and a total of 48.5 points. Zachary Stone achieved 50.8 points and finished in 2nd place. Rocco Van Straten, from the Netherlands, won with 53 total points and was rocketed 27.9 feet into the air. He had thrilled the judges by completing a backside double cork 1080.

Big Air is certainly the right name for this extreme competion.

—Jenna Winocur

PHOTO: Denver Big Air, a 106-foot high, 600,000 pound ski ramp, was built in the center of downtown Denver, Colorado, for a ski and snowboard competition. This is the view from the top. (CREDIT: PRNewsFoto/VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau/NewsCom)

On Steeler Turf

Pepped up at a Super Bowl pep rally

As the Steelers came running out onto the field, I was there, too, as a reporter covering a city-wide pep rally for the Super Bowl-bound Pittsburgh Steelers. It was awesome, being only a few feet away from some of the best football players in the country.

Just standing on the field was fun in itself. As I looked at the players and the fans, I almost felt as if I was a Steeler myself, having just won the AFC championship game on this very turf.

The excitement of the moment, the thought of the Super Bowl, was almost overwhelming. How could anyone not be excited?

The Steelers aren't the only winning team in Pittsburgh, which is known as the City of Champions. It was named so in 1979 because the baseball team, the Pirates, won the World Series and the Steelers won Super Bowl XIII in the same year.

“The Steelers are special because they have a great history and tradition,” Dan Rooney told me. Rooney is the past-owner and chairman of the Steelers. He is now the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland. “They come from a great city—Pittsburgh—and they are just a great football team.”

Fan Teecee Furiga (her face painted in Steelers colors) sumed up her vision of the team for me.

“They are a strong and willing team,” she said. “And experience will set them apart.”

So, what are the odds of the Cheeseheads beating the Terrible Towels on Sunday? In the opinion of the 18,000 fans who brazed snow and icy cold winds to cheer on their team: Zero!

Tune in Sunday to watch them go helmet-to-helmet—or should I say Terrible Towel to Cheesehead?

—Kelcey Flowers

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Kelcey Flowers talks to Dan Rooney, former owner and chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers and current US. Ambassador to Ireland, at the Steelers' pep rally on Friday. (Photo Courtesy Kelcey Flowers)

Ice Dancers Take Gold!

Meryl Davis and Charlie White now compete for world domination

The 2011 U.S. Nationals Figure Skating Championship was held this past weekend in Greensboro, NC. Meryl Davis and Charlie White were Ice Dancing favorites to win their event.As I had just interviewed Meryl and Charlie, I anxiously awaited the coming of the U.S. Nationals so I could watch them perform on ice again.

When I started watching, I was staring at the TV thinking, “They are thrilling, athletic, and magnificent to watch! Did I really just interview them?”

They skated in two different programs: a short dance and a free dance. In the short dance, they waltzed to music from “La Boheme” and “La Traviata” that wowed the judges and the audience.

Meryl wore a short peach dress and Charlie wore a black and white tuxedo. They did amazing jumps, lifts, and twirls that scored them a solid 76.04. They were almost six points ahead of the second place team!

In the free dance, they performed a spicy tango with difficult “twizzles” and an amazing over-the-shoulder lift. Meryl wore a beautiful red dress and red flower in her hair while Charlie wore all black.

Meryl and Charlie were perfectly in sync with each other throughout the entire 4-minute production. Once off the ice, they were exhausted from giving it EVERYTHING!

I jumped up and cheered when I saw they had earned a whopping 109.44 to give them a grand total of 185.48. This score earned them their 3rd consecutive Ice Dancing National Championship Gold! Yeah, Meryl! You rock, Charlie!

They will be performing March 21-27, 2011 in Tokyo, Japan, for the World Figure Skating Championships. They really want to win this. It’s No.1 on Charlie’s current “checklist.”

Watching them this weekend, I’m positive they will win. Canadians and Russians: Watch out!!

—Molly Pribble

PHOTO: Meryl Davis and Charlie White show off their gold medals for winning the dance program during the awards ceremony at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011. CREDIT: Bob Leverone/AP Images

Super Super Bowl Media Day

From the weird to the whack to the Sunday winners.

Before the big game on Super Bowl Sunday, the NFL holds an event that reporters around the world look forward to all year long: Super Bowl Media Day. Held in the host stadium each Tuesday before the Super Bowl, media day is a chance for reporters to talk to the players and coaches.

My dad and my uncle drove me to Dallas from Houston to cover the event for Scholastic. Getting there was a breeze. It was 75 degrees and sunny. Overnight, though, all that changed. We woke up Tuesday to cold wind, snow, and ice. Only 300 miles from home and I was in a winter wonderland.

The drive from the hotel to the stadium took much longer than we anticipated. We drove veeeery sloooowly past trucks and cars stuck in the ice all on the road. We got caught between three vehicles sliding around on an inclined entrance ramp to the highway and an 18-wheeler. It took about 30 minutes to get out of there!

Once we got inside Cowboys Stadium, you would never know it was snowing outside. The host stadium for Super bowl XLV is only a year old and has the world’s largest retractable roof. It was, of course closed, but could be open on Sunday if the weather clears up.

The stadium could fit six of the world’s largest whales inside—if you wanted to do something that whack. The gigantic jumbotron screen that towers over the entire field begins on one 20 yard line and stretches to the other.

The first player I talked to was shivering and complaining about the cold.

“You play in Green Bay,” my editor said to him. “You think this is cold?”

He quickly defended himself by pointing out that there’s a big difference between sitting still for an hour for interviews (even inside) and running around on a field, no matter what the weather. (What about those guys on the bench?)

The interviews were mostly held in booths set up along the sidelines. First the Green Bay Packers came out for an hour, then the reporters were all served brunch. Then to the Steelers. After that, the Fox broadcast team held roundtable discussions.

The fun was on the field, however. When I interviewed Brett Kiesel, I was one of the few reporters to ask a serious question. Everyone else wanted to know about his beard. It was pretty wild! I had seen pictures, but to actually see it in person was awesome.

Also not serious were some of the crazy reporters I saw. There was a girl in sweats doing pushups for the players before interviewing them. There was also a guy in a bull fighter outfit. TV Azteca was asking players to demonstrate with a giant wooden toy block on a string that you had to swing out and try to catch on a stick. No, I couldn’t do it either!

One reporter was wearing a blue box. Yes, a BOX! It opened up with swinging cardboard doors. He said he brought his own broadcast booth.

Another guy was wearing a wild furry hat and coat, leopard pajamas, and brown pointy shoes. He was a radio reporter so I guess it didn’t matter.

The coolest part of the whole day was talking to all the other reporters (the ones NOT wearing leopard pajamas or tights) and finding out how they prepare. Watching the adult professionals in action was a great experience. I was even interviewed by some of the reporters who turned the tables on me!

One camera man watched me doing my closing and gave me some advice for how to make it better. He told me to look directly into the camera like I was looking someone in the eyes. He said he would look better on camera and help me concentrate, especially with all the craziness going on around me. It worked! Check out the video!

—Kenny Figueroa

PHOTOS: Kid Reporter Kenny Figuero becomes the news at Super Bowl Media Day in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 1, 2001. (Photo by Suzanne Freeman)

Secretariat — Straight from the jockey's mouth

In less than a week, Secretariat was going to be released on DVD. I was really excited! This was my first time interviewing a celebrity. I couldn’t wait to log on to the virtual roundtable to interview Otto Thorwarth, the actor who played Secretariat’s jockey in the Disney movie, and Ronnie Turcotte, Secretariat’s actual jockey. 

This assignment was on a topic I know about: horses. I ride horses every week and have been riding for five months. During my lessons, I’ve learned to saddle up my horse; walk, trot, and lope; I brush and wash my horse to help her cool off after a ride in the hot sun. 

I was amazed by the story of Secretariat! In Secretariat’s first season, 1972, he claimed eight consecutive victories. In 1973, Secretariat won the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown consists of three races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. The three races are the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. Winning all three races is considered the greatest accomplishment for a thoroughbred horse. Secretariat still holds the record for winning the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths! Secretariat was also the first of only two two-year-olds to win “Horse of the Year.”

During the interview, Mr. Turcotte, Secretariat’s real-life jockey, stated that the portrayal of him by Mr. Thorwarth was “very good. Otto played me very well. It was very close to real life.” He also said that Diane Lane “did a really good job playing Penny,” Secretariat’s owner. Mr. Thorwarth, a real-life jockey, had virtually no time to prepare for the role of Ronnie Turcotte. “I found out on a Monday that I got the role, and then we started filming on Thursday. Luckily I’ve been doing this for 15 years, so it wasn’t too difficult to prepare for this role.”

About Secretariat, Mr. Turcotte said, “He was the greatest horse I rode and the fastest horse I ever saw run. He was just beyond great.” According to Mr. Thorwarth, Secretariat will be remembered “as THE greatest horse of all time. I don’t think we’ll ever see another one like him.”

To learn more about the story of Secretariat, check out Disney’s new release of Secretariat on DVD or Blu Ray.

—Kid Reporter Chloe McWilliams

Photo: Otto Thorwarth from the movie Secretariat. (Photo: John Bramsley, Disney Enterprises, Inc., All Rights Reserved)