The Oracle: When did you begin announcing events?

Travis Cottle: I started doing morning announcements at JLS (Jane Lathrop Stanford) in eighth grade, but I started announcing sports at Gunn during the winter of 8th grade with the frosh-soph basketball.

TO: What first attracted you to announcing?

Cottle: What got me into announcing was that Mr. Froli, the frosh-soph football announcer, knew that I was good at announcing becase I did the morning announcements. He knew I was interested in sports from scorekeeping, and asked me if I was interested in announcing sporting events at Gunn and I took the offer because I thought it would be fun.

TO: Do you plan to continue after high school?

Cottle: I plan to announce through high school, but I’m not sure what will happen once I graduate. I would like to keep announcing, but I’m not sure what opportunities would be available to me.

TO: How do you prepare for what to say?

Cottle: Before every game I prepare a sheet about what to say leading up to the game. This is the only thing that I prepare beforehand for the announcements as well as bringing the rosters of the teams. I use styles of announcing from listening to Mr. Froli and Trevor Felch, former Gunn Announcer, to help me out in announcing.

­­­­­TO: If Gunn is losing how do you keep the enthusiasm going?

Cottle: This is the toughest part of announcing. When Gunn does something really well I will announce that with great enthusiasm. I try to play some music to pump people up in the next timeout or break in the game.

TO: Are there any things you must say as announcer and what are they?

Cottle: There is an announcement that I have to say before each game about sportsmanship and not having any illegal possessions at the game. Also, whenever Mr. Horpel or another administrator gives me something to say I have to say what they give me. Otherwise I decide what to say.

TO: What are the requirements of being an announcer?

Cottle: There are no actual requirements, but I feel you need to have a great knowledge of the sport as well as a good public speaker.