400 broadcasts … Sometime this spring, senior Katie Lechton will reach this milestone in her young journalistic career, acting as either producer or play-by-play announcer and sometimes both on the sideline of a game between two regional high school sports teams.
2,000 hours … That’s the approximate amount of time she will have spent in preparation and on the air covering a variety of sports including soccer, football, volleyball, hockey, basketball, softball and baseball. She even sings the National Anthem when called upon before returning to her post behind the microphone! The sheer volume of work by a student journalist is unprecedented here at Amherst High School and perhaps across the state.
Lechton answered a digital ad placed by Zaleski Sports in 2021 and has been working steadily ever since. Her young career began in earnest following the death of her father, Tim, who perished at a relatively young age following a host of medical problems. She shared a love of sports with her father; together they watched the Green Bay Packers and other Wisconsin sports just as many families do each week across the state.
“Watching sports started out as a coping mechanism to keep my mind off of my grief,” said Lechton. “Then an opportunity opened up here at Zaleski and I took that leap of faith. It’s all about getting yourself out there, putting your name in the hat and trusting yourself. If I didn’t answer that email, and took a chance, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
A successful broadcaster has to have a passion for sport, but one doesn’t have to love every sport equally. And it’s not just the game itself that provides the color for a successful broadcast, according to Lechton, noting that there are intrinsic elements that are equally compelling.
“I appreciate the camaraderie, the teamwork, and the community support you see in high school sports. I love how the entire community comes together for their sports team and cheers them on,” she said.
Lechton speaks highly of Zaleski and their commitment to maintaining “a small town feel.” They livestream high school sports on youtube because “they care about what people want,” Lechton said. “They’re all about community.” On a personal level, Lechton said the company has trained her, embraced her, and treated her “like family.”
Along with her work as a broadcaster, Lechton also writes for the school’s online magazine, the Talon, and serves as editor of the award-winning yearbook.
“Katie has been an invaluable member of our Yearbook team, so it was easy to name her as Yearbook editor for her senior year,” said Merry Dudley, yearbook adviser. “She is also the complete package. When we need copy, she never hesitates to volunteer. When we are looking for a fresh layout idea or a template for a certain group of pages, Katie is our go-to person. And when her busy schedule permits, she is always eager to attend an event to take photographs.”
“It has been a pleasure getting to know Katie during her time at Amherst High School. I will miss her tremendously once she graduates. She has become the student I depend on, especially when we need to brainstorm solutions to various problems,” Dudley added.
Although she initially considered becoming a teacher, Lechton will attend UW-Oshkosh next fall in pursuit of a degree in broadcasting. She will continue to broadcast high school sports for Zaleski, but she will most assuredly add collegiate sports with the hope of one day covering pro sports as well.
