Sports Broadcasting Majors Return to Summer Baseball Internships

While many of our students completed brand new internships this summer, for some, it was a chance to grow their roles and experiences with a familiar organization. Sports Broadcasting majors Brett Chaves ’24 and Reed Becker ’24 both returned to their prior roles at the Brockton Rox and the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Now in his third season with the Brockton Rox, Brett began as a volunteer intern working play-by-play broadcasting, but has quickly grown into the team’s first full-time director of media relations.

“I am still responsible for play-by-play duties,” Brett explained. “However, I also manage and lead a three-camera broadcast with seven employees, write broadcast and public address scripts for every game, operate the music around the stadium, and run the entire in-game production (video board graphics, entertainment, etc.). On the side, I work for the Futures League itself doing play-by-play broadcasting on NESN.”

Meanwhile, Reed returned to the Cape Cod Baseball League for his second summer as a broadcast intern.

“My main responsibility is to cover games every night where I interview players and coaches before and after the games,” he said. “I am also a sideline reporter for the Cape League Games of the Week broadcast on NESN. I also pre-record a one-minute Cape League Report for broadcast on 95.1 WXTK radio where I recap the games from that night and give the schedule for the next day.”

Both Brett and Reed credit their courses and mentors at Dean like John Rooke, distinguished executive faculty and director of The Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management, for helping them succeed in their respective internships.

“I would not even be at the Rox if it wasn’t for Dean,” said Brett. “Professor John Rooke and my peers helped connect me with the higher-ups in Brockton, and eventually, I found myself working on the inside. The coursework and hands-on experience at Dean has also allowed me to translate my skills into everyday tasks in the workplace.”

“Dean’s approach helped me gain experience by getting on the air right away during my first year,” Reed added. “Early on, I was on the radio station with a show and was calling and covering games for Dean. Having mentors like John Rooke and Jerry Trupiano as professors has also been a huge help for me by learning from the professionals in the industry. They are also great resources to make contacts when networking.”

Their roles are also helping them prepare to launch their careers in sports broadcasting. For Reed, the experience is giving him a glimpse at what his future day-to-day will look like.

“It gives me an idea of how covering sports is a daily grind during a season,” Reed explained. “I also was able to see how hectic it can get either before or after a game when trying to interview a player. That just shows how if you have good relationships with the players on a personal level, you may be more likely to be granted an interview because they already know you. Since the Cape Cod Baseball League is considered the most prestigious summer baseball league in the country for both players and interns, it gave me a chance to get recognized on a national level and meet some important names in the industry.”

For Brett, it’s helping him achieve his goal of becoming a director of media relations at the professional level.

“I am getting more full-time experience than the majority of broadcasters ever will in college,” Brett said about his current role with the Rox. “I only began as a volunteer intern. Over the years, I have gained the trust and respect of upper management to put me in the position I am in today. I have also called over 100 different games, giving me the play-by-play reps I need to make it professional. It’s something I will never take for granted. It’s a step I never imagined myself taking, but one I will never forget.”

At Dean College, 100% of students complete an internship – and quite a few of them are participating in internships this summer. Learn more about internship opportunities and Sports Broadcasting at Dean.