Brett Williams '13

Having watched Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football since as far back as I can remember, I've always admired Al Michaels. He puts the viewer at ease throughout the flow of the game with a seemingly effortless delivery, and he both describes the action artfully and sheds light on compelling storylines. Perhaps his best attribute, in my opinion, is his ability to consistently provide the perfect punctuation to big moments (e.g., "Do you believe in miracles?", "He did what?!"). I also draw a lot of inspiration from hockey broadcasters--namely Doc Emrick of NBC Sports and the Washington Capitals' play-by-play voices, Joe Beninati and John Walton. Emrick has a vocabulary and energy I envy, while Beninati's style and cadence have largely shaped my own calls of hockey and lacrosse. Lastly, during the Caps' run to the Stanley Cup last year, Walton displayed mastery of what I believe to be the primary objective of the voice of any team--closely understanding and relating emotionally to your fans as you bring them along for the journey of a season.

Based on my experience, the better the off-air chemistry between a play-by-play commentator and an analyst, the stronger their on-air pairing has the potential to be. Stylistically, it may not always turn out to be a great match, but I believe a strong working relationship with one's broadcast partner is the first step toward complementing each other well on air. Thus it's hard to say with which well-known analyst I would work well. That said, I greatly respect the work of Kirk Herbstreit, Eddie Olczyk, Jay Bilas, and F.P. Santangelo, just to name a few. I would also love to see Drew Brees get into broadcasting when his NFL career concludes; his humility and eloquence would lend themselves well to color commentary.

I haven't developed any great catchphrases since "It's always a great day to be a Saint!" Seriously, though, it's mostly little things. When re-introducing myself, I'll say something like, "Brett Williams here with you; thanks for being with me." Or as the top of the fifth inning in baseball concludes, I'll say "We're halfway home in [whatever city we're in]." My home run call is: "It's going back, way back, and not coming back!"

There's something truly special about being a Saint. Everyone--students, faculty, staff, administrators, etc.--is so united behind and invested in the school's mission, which as a result is furthered with purpose and sincerity every day. From the first day I set foot on campus, I felt not only welcomed with open arms, but also encouraged to discover my passions and pursue my best self. I am so blessed to have learned from my SSSAS teachers, coaches, and peers, and I treasure the relationships we forged to this day. My goal is to hold firm to the values instilled in me during those pivotal four years and represent the Saints in the best possible way in everything I do.