Ursuline title caps fine year for 33’s anchor

By Greg Gulas

Bill Castrovince spoke to the Curbstone Coaches Association during Monday’s meeting.

BOARDMAN — Bill Castrovince, WYTV Channel 33’s main sports anchor, says Ursuline’s state title this past football season is one of the highlights of his 10-year broadcasting career.

Speaking to the Curbstone Coaches Monday, Castrovince lauded head coach Dan Reardon and his staff for their ability to keep their team focused all season en-route to a perfect 15-0 campaign.

The Euclid native and Ohio University graduate also praised the area for its excellent high school sports teams, as well as the players and coaches that they have produced that have gone on to prominence on the national level.

“It’s one thing to be picked in the preseason as the team to beat, but another to remain atop that perch as the season unfolds,” Castrovince said. “By winning the state title, Ursuline sure gave our Valley plenty of reasons for which to be proud.

“They were viewed as the team to beat from the outset and to stay focused all season long like they did is a true testimonial to Dan [Reardon] and the entire Fighting Irish staff,” Castrovince said.

When WYTV sports director Bob Hannon resigned last summer to become executive director of the Mahoning Valley’s United Way, Castrovince was the natural selection to replace Hannon.

There really is no difference between Castrovince’s past and current duties. The major difference is that he now delivers the sports news to area listeners on weekdays and not from his familiar weekend anchor chair.

“My typical work day has not changed by any stretch of the imagination,” Castrovince said. It’s just that I have moved from weekends to weekdays and while no two days are ever the same, that’s a good thing when you’re planning your portion of the newscast.”

While Castrovince relished assisting Hannon for a decade, the newest addition to the Big Board Sports staff, Kristi Branam, is already leaving her mark on the local sports scene as the station’s new weekend sports anchor.

“Kristi is an excellent worker; someone who really enjoys being out and about and on the scene at a sports event,” Castrovince said. “She has great sports insight and has been an excellent addition to our staff.”

While Castrovince has been credited with taking their “Athlete of the Week” segment to new heights, he notes that the worldwide web is an area all stations nationwide are exploring in order to bring even more timely news and sports to area viewers.

“Our medium is slowly moving from television to the internet,” Castrovince said. “Our website; www.myvalleysports.com has been a great help to those relatives and friends of local athletes and coaches who are now able to watch, via the internet what we have covered on that particular night.

“We not only post our Athlete of the Week segments, but also post highlights of the games we have just covered so those not in the viewing area can look and feel like they are right at home,” Castrovince said.

The Curbstone Coaches are on break for the holidays, but will return on Jan. 5 with Mark Porter of ScoutingOhio.com serving as guest speaker.

Tickets are now available for the organization’s All-League Football Recognition Banquet, scheduled for Jan. 25 at the Georgetown. Cost is $20 and can further information can be obtained by calling (330)-707-0234.