By Sahana Manglani, BEAT reporter
BRUNSWICK, OH- Whether it's an exciting football matchup or a fast-paced basketball game, Shawn Bartczak helps bring Brunswick sports to life through his work as a play-by-play announcer. His interest in announcing began when he was young, listening to sports announcers on the radio. Over time, that interest grew into a calling, one that now allows him to share his love for the game with the local community.
One of Bartczak’s favorite memories as an announcer came during this year’s Brunswick versus Medina football game. The close competition kept the game exciting from beginning to end, making it especially memorable for him. “It was a back and forth struggle between both teams, and it was just a fun game to announce,” Bartczak said. He hopes to continue announcing more Brunswick football games and get more involved with other sports as well.
Brunswick holds a special place in Bartczak’s life beyond the announcer role that he plays. Both of his children graduated from Brunswick, and he has been part of the school community since they started kindergarten. He has also worked within the school system, giving him the chance to watch students grow and accomplish new things over the years. Being able to see students develop is one of the things he enjoys most about being involved with Brunswick.
Broadcasting isn't without its challenges, however. Bartczak notes that one of the toughest aspects is mastering athlete names and tricky pronunciations. Before each game, he studies team rosters, researches names, and talks with the students when possible to make sure he gets everything right. Outside of Brunswick sports, Bartczak is an avid indoor soccer fan and recently checked a major goal off his bucket list, announcing a game for the Cleveland Crunch.
As someone with years of interest in announcing, Bartczak hopes to see more students explore sports broadcasting. He believes young people have more opportunities to get involved now than they did when he was 18. “I’d love to see more kids get involved in this stuff because it’s a lot of fun,” he said. Through his work, Bartczak continues to share his passion for sports while encouraging the next generation to discover announcing for themselves.
Sahana Manglani, Brunswick High School, is one of over fifty student “backpack journalists” (grades 6-12) in the award-winning BEAT Video Program. The program, celebrating its 25th year, is sponsored by Donut Land, Plum Creek Assisted Living Community, MODA Gifts, Scripps Howard Foundation and the Brunswick Rotary Club. Go to https://www.bcsoh.org/community/new-beat-site to learn more about the Program, or visit https://thebeat.viebit.com/?folder=ALL to view videos produced by the students.
PHOTOS: Bartczak is interviewed by Manglani on Brunswick Schools’ NewsBEAT set; Bartczak calls a football game with the BEAT’s Annie Milo operating camera; Bartczak mentors future BEAT sports announcers Annie Milo, Sahana Manglani and Cooper DeSimpelaere.