Pritt on deck at Cafaro Field

NILES -- I don't need to look at Ryan Pritt's five-page r & eacute;sum & eacute; to learn of his talent and drive.
I just need to listen, to hear those words roll off his tongue and through the speakers at Cafaro Field.
Been to a Mahoning Valley Scrappers' game this season? If so, you may not have noticed the young Pritt behind the microphone. Instead, you may have assumed it was a seasoned adult announcing player introductions, promotions and advertisements.
"Sometimes I'll be walking down the concourse after the game, and someone might glance at my media pass and say 'You're the announcer? It sounded like you were 30.' So I guess that's a compliment."
Building a foundation
Pritt turns 17 this month. He's a soon-to-be senior at Field High School in Mogadore, and like any teen-ager eyeing a college education, Pritt has dreams of the big-time. Except with him, he has been building a foundation that proves just how serious he really is.
"I remember telling my parents that I could never have one of those jobs where you sit in the office all day or stock shelves at a grocery store," said Pritt, who lives in Suffield. "I told them that my first real job would be in sports.
"Technically, this is my first real job," he said of the Scrappers. "So it ended up working out that way."
In addition to his PA duties for the Scrappers, Pritt is an intern at powerful Cleveland radio station WTAM-AM (1100), where he aids in the production of talk radio and has been a guest host on Kevin Keane's show.
Pritt has co-hosted "Tribe Time," the Cleveland Indians' show on Fox Sports Net, and he was a guest host of "Browns Blitz," aired on WKYC-TV in Cleveland. He also has experiences in the Columbus Blue Jackets' radio booth and in newspaper coverage of the Cavaliers, in conjunction with the The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.
"Most of the things I've gotten a chance to do is from writing the teams e-mails, and they've been real cooperative about giving kids a chance," Pritt said.
Early experience
Motivated from the start, Pritt began announcing junior high sports at Field. He progressed to include computer software and music into his production of the athletic event.
"At our high school, we don't really have any opportunity where you do play-by-play," Pritt said. "I got volunteered to do PA in seventh grade. Now, I pretty much announce every team in the high school."
Pritt came close to getting the job with the Scrappers last season, but just missed out. Then, the opportunity arose while he was working WTAM's postgame show at Jacobs Field earlier this season. He got the call from his mom.
"She said, 'Jim Riley with the Scrappers called. He wants to know what you're doing this summer,' " Pritt recalled.
Staying true
Pritt's a natural. That's the best part about his voice. He doesn't try too hard, nor does he mask his personality behind a different voice.
"I try to give the energy so the crowd gets into it and keep the flow going," he said. "At the same time, I don't try to overdo it."
After he graduates from high school, Pritt plans to pursue a sports broadcasting degree and one day work his way up to a big-league broadcast booth.
Stepping into the shoes of Tom Hamilton, the Tribe's current play-by-play man, would be Pritt's dream come true.
"Jacobs Field is my favorite place to be in the world. It never gets old," Pritt said. "Once you're inside the ballpark, you're solely focused on baseball. It's like your own little world."
XBrian Richesson is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at richesson@vindy.com.