CURBSTONERS Schmidt part of Fox finding niche

Robb Schmidt said Fox's high school TV games are growing more popular.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BOARDMAN -- The area high school football and basketball games that the Fox television station has been airing have continued to grow in popularity.
"It has evolved into something special," Robb Schmidt, who anchors the Fox broadcasts, told the Curbstone Coaches Monday afternoon during their noon luncheon at the Lockwood House.
"It started because Fox needed an identity. How can we make [our station] just as important as the other stations in town?" said Schmidt of Girard, who also serves as sports director of WKBN-TV 27 and does play-by-play radio broadcasts for the Youngstown State men's basketball games on WNIO-AM 1390.
Expanded coverage
Schmidt, a graduate of Warren Harding (1982) and Kent State (1986), who has been WKBN's sports anchor for the past seven years, said Fox expanded its basketball coverage this year three weeks into the postseason to include some tournament games, to make up for lost telecasts due to WKBN's work stoppage in February.
Schmidt credited Bill Billet, WKBN's technical director, and eight other people, plus two trucks that served as live remote broadcast units, for making the broadcasts a success.
"[Billet] had this equipment laying around and turned it into a dream. We had nine people that put the entire show together," said Schmidt, also lauding the athletic directors at the various participating schools.
"They [the ADs] were real appreciative and they took good care of us. The ADs work with us so really well, and it is an incredible thing to be a part of," said Schmidt, who was a radio broadcaster for WRRO-AM in Warren for seven years before joining WKBN.
Regarding YSU's basketball programs, Schmidt said that both the men's and women's programs struggled this season, but against good teams.
"The Horizon League is very competitive and fun to watch," said Schmidt.
He expects men's coach John Robic to be back next year for the fifth and final year of his current contract, despite the Penguins going 8-20 this season.
"I don't see him leaving or the school buying his contract out, unless he just resigns," said Schmidt. "He'll be there for at least next season, then we'll have to see what happens."
State champs coming
The Curbstone Coaches' guests at next Monday will be the state-championship Ursuline and West Branch girls high school basketball teams, and respective coaches Sean Durkin and Chuck Campbell.
kovach@vindy.com