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YSU’s Parks is ready for constant changes
By Greg Gulas
BEAVER TOWNSHIP
For Youngstown State sports information director Trevor Parks, serving the needs of the media has been a labor of love.
Accountable for the publicity of YSU’s 19 men’s and women’s sports, Parks on Monday told the Curbstone Coaches at Monday’s luncheon at Avion Banquet Center that new things are always happening.
Parks said broadcasting and score updates are more essential than ever before with student involvement a great help.
Parks, in his 16th year with YSU, said that an enhanced relationship with the university’s communications department has been a tremendous help.
“We have hired some talented adjunct professors over the past year that will help teach and coach students in order to give them real world experience,” Parks said. “Kevin Davis, who has worked with us for quite some time, teaches the field production course while two other professors with a tremendous amount of professional experience have recently come on board as well.”
Parks credits Dr. Adam Earnheardt, YSU communications department chair, with spearheading efforts on the academic side.
“We have a new weekly Internet show called ‘Penguin Rundown,’ which is like a mini-YSU Sports Center in that it covers both the good and not-so-good topics and events of the day,” Parks said.
“It’s a student-driven production which they took the initiative to start and produce. They come to us for suggestions and help, if needed, with the main topics currently focusing on basketball, swimming and diving, track and field and tennis.”
Parks added that head football coach Bo Pelini’s first season was a great learning experience for everyone.
“Being from Nebraska and having gone to school there, my view was probably a little different than someone else’s perspective,” Parks said. “I heard plenty from both sides and knew almost all of the media responsible for covering Bo, so that helped me out tremendously.
“I went back in October and spoke with the people in Lincoln and I can tell you first hand that they miss both his passion and intensity for the game,” Parks said.
The next five weeks will be very busy for Parks and his staff, which includes long-time assistants Jamie Hall and John Vogel. His student assistants hail from Canfield, Girard, Hubbard, Liberty, Ursuline and Warren Harding high schools.
“It’s the stretch run for our basketball, tennis, track and field and swimming and diving teams with football national signing day set for Feb. 3,” Parks said. “The baseball and softball seasons start in February while on Feb. 6 we have our baseball breakfast, a track and field meet as well as another home basketball doubleheader.
“On Feb. 27, we host the Horizon League Track and Field Championships, another home basketball doubleheader and tennis match so the office will be hopping and rather busy.”