Home Press for Athletes:
A Hands-on Forum for Athletes
to Get Home Press from Your Masters Nationals Performance
Immediately Following Athletes’ Meeting Friday Night,
August 8,At the Knight Law Center
A free workshop/seminar right after the athletes' meeting Friday night personally helping athletes get press in their home media.
We will have a model telephone presentation to hand out to athletes to tell sports editors of your performance at the meet, and will provide phones and faxes of newspapers, TV and radio stations. This will be a fun hands-on presentation that will definitely get you home town major press for your great performance at the meet, and will allow you to help the cause of masters track by generating media! Don't miss it!
Bob Weiner, senior White House and congressional public affairs director who is a devoted masters runner and who generated the media for the Boston Indoor Masters Nationals this year, and Phil Raschker, USATF Masters Track and Field Athlete of the Year who is one of our sport's genuine media stars, will spearhead the event.
Attend and Go For It!
Bob Weiner
202-361-0611 (cell)
ATHLETE’S OWN CALL TO MEDIA:
Call Newspaper or TV or Newsradio Switchboard and Ask for Sports, then for sports editor or reporter… Ask first name…
"Hi _______ (first name), This is __________ from (your hometown) but right now in Eugene Oregon, at the National Masters Track and Field Championships:
"I’d like to let you know that I just won a (Gold First Place) (Silver Second Place) (Bronze Third Place) (or Placed 4th, 5th, 6th) here at the National Championship in the (Event/Age Group) (and if true… also won a ________ or placed __________ in the (second and third events).
(If true: " And also, I set an American/World Record in…")
"It would be great if you could let folks at home know with a little blurb."
"Here are some more details if you need them (your time, distance, who beat you in first place if true…)."
(Then be businesslike, end the call, and say:)
"I really appreciate your doing this – see you at home soon. Bye…"
(You may find that they ask you to do a more detailed interview with color on your race or even the meet as a whole, maybe even to come in when you get back, etc. This may open the door for your becoming a media star and an emissary for masters track!
Or they may be very curt and politely take your information and that is that – and then surprise you with a nice write-up anyway. Do not be dismayed by the possibility of short personalities – they are on deadline. Sports writers and editors are as human as all of us.)
GIVE IT A SHOT! GOOD LUCK! J
If you need help with your presentation or contact, call us at the meet here on cell (202-361-0611), or after the meet when we get back to home office (301-283-0821).
Bob Weiner