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SportTokz with SportProfz

SportTokz with SportProfz

By SportTokz

SportTokz with SportProfz is co-hosted by Ryerson University’s RTA School of Media professors, Prof Walz (Laurel Walzak), Prof Joe (Joe Recupero) and Dan Berlin. The show is pre-recorded via Zoom conferencing calls and premieres every Friday at 5pm. For 1-hour we chat with sport pros and profs about their careers and insight on recent sports news. Our show also focuses on highlighting and analyzing the intersection of sport with critical social justice issues from an academic lens. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @sporttokz
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Episode #19 - Rugby Exclusive w/ Nigel D’Acre, Amy Stoparczyk, & Jon Pallett - Sept.28.20

SportTokz with SportProfzOct 14, 2020

00:00
01:04:59
SportTokz with SportProfz: Season 4, Episode 2 with Shireen Ahmed

SportTokz with SportProfz: Season 4, Episode 2 with Shireen Ahmed

This week, we had the privilege of speaking with writer, activist, public speaker, podcast host- (how does she do it all?) - Shireen Ahmed!

We spent some time discussing her experience as an academic (Chicago citations are the worst!) as well as how important representation within sport is. Listen in as Shireen and Prof Walz dive into their time writing a book together, how crucial the work that Hijabi Ballers is doing for Muslim women in sport is and how important it is to call attention to these often overlooked areas. This open, and in-depth conversation is a great listen and one you don't want to miss!

Nov 28, 202138:23
Episode 42: Scott MacArthur-On Air Sports Expert; Season 3, Episode 1

Episode 42: Scott MacArthur-On Air Sports Expert; Season 3, Episode 1

This past week, we had the privilege of speaking with On Air Sports Expert Scott MacArthur!

We spent some time diving into the recent news surrounding Kyle Beach and the toxicity found within hockey culture. Listen in as Scott and Prof Walz dive into what this means for hockey culture, some of their own personal experiences within the sport industry and how we move forward from here. This open, honest and raw conversation is a great way to kick off our new season!

Nov 05, 202148:27
Episode #41 - Dan Gladman, Canadian Screen Award-winning TV Broadcast Producer - Season 3 Finale

Episode #41 - Dan Gladman, Canadian Screen Award-winning TV Broadcast Producer - Season 3 Finale

This episode provided a dive deeper into the current, cutting edge work that Dan is producing and everything basketball both on and off the courts🏀🏆 Dan Gladman is an Award-winning Sports TV Producer. He was awarded the Canadian Screen Award for Best Live Sports Event for my work spearheading and producing Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals on TSN in Canada. This was the culmination of 10 years in the creative role as the Toronto Raptors game broadcast producer, and 18 years as a loyal employee of MLSE. In his career he has produced nearly 1,000 NBA and 100 MLS game broadcasts on TSN and Sportsnet.

SportTokz celebrated it's season finale and will be taking a break for the summer! Don't worry, we'll be back in session for the fall semester as we prepare for Season 4 to launch September 2021!

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded April 26, 2021

Jun 29, 202150:05
Episode #40 - Amrit Gill, Digital Content Coordinator & Host on Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition.

Episode #40 - Amrit Gill, Digital Content Coordinator & Host on Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition.

We were honoured to speak with Broadcast Journalist at Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi & OMNI Television Producer & Reporter, Amrit Gill on Monday April 19th!

We chatted about her journey to broadcasting and sports and how devoted to learning her craft  and passion for storytelling and journalism as a kid in the school yard. Amrit also shared her experience learning Punjabi much later in life and the types of challenges she faced not just learning a new language but also the different circumstances she faced and continues to face as a woman in media.

Amrit Gill is a digital content coordinator and host on "Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition." She became the first woman on HNIC: Punjabi Edition six years ago. Her work focuses on telling stories that include recognizing individuals whose trials and tribulations in hockey have been vastly underrepresented. Alongside working in sports journalism, Amrit also has a background in radio and television news. Her current role also includes producing national and local newscasts daily on OMNI Television.

Topic List
1. Journey/Learning your Roots
2. Different Circumstances for Women in Media
3. Racial Diversity in Sports
4. Personal Projects and Last thoughts
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Apr 22, 202139:22
Office Hours #16 - Kayla Grey, Sports Anchor at TSN

Office Hours #16 - Kayla Grey, Sports Anchor at TSN

We are coming at you with another Office Hours feature this week hosted by Dan "The Coach" Berlin and TSN Sports Anchor Kayla Grey joins him in the virtual studio! Kayla is an award-winning journalist and currently an anchor for Sportscentre on Canadian sports network, TSN. Kayla became the first black woman to ever host a flagship sports-highlight show in Canada when she made her Sportscentre debut in 2018.

On this episode of Office Hours, Kayla delves deeply into her craft and shares her thoughts on staying true to herself. It’s Kayla like you’ve never seen or heard before! We also have an Office Hours first as our executive producer, Chelsea Vern, hosts a Rapid Fire Q'z segment to discover Kayla's interests and hobbies, not just in sports.

Apr 08, 202118:26
Office Hours - Dan Gladman, Canadian Screen Award-winning TV Broadcast Producer

Office Hours - Dan Gladman, Canadian Screen Award-winning TV Broadcast Producer

Dan "The Coach" Berlin is back with another Office Hours episode as we take a break for the much needed long weekend. We were excited to welcome TV Producer Dan Gladman to our virtual studio and the experience, achievements and awards he comes with is just outstanding.

Dan Gladman is a Canadian Screen Award-winning TV broadcast producer. Dan was in the production truck the day the Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA Finals and he's got the championship ring to prove it. His production experiences extend into many other sports including; NHL | MLS | CEBL | Pan Am Games | Olympic Sports. Dan is currently the Host and co-producer of Gym Ratz & Jointz podcast. Dan G. sits down with our Dan B. to discuss his secrets behind a successful live production.

Apr 06, 202136:45
Episode #39 - Emily Staker, Attorney, Agent & PR Specialist—Professional Sports & Sports Broadcasting, March 29, 2021

Episode #39 - Emily Staker, Attorney, Agent & PR Specialist—Professional Sports & Sports Broadcasting, March 29, 2021

On Monday March 29th, we were excited have Attorney, Agent & PR Specialist—Professional Sports & Sports Broadcasting, who represents both athletes and members of sport media, Emily Staker (@emily_staker), join us on SportTokz for our second LIVE stream on Twitch! 👏

Her work in the NFL agency paired with experience representing media talent and influencers has provided her with the skills to provide all necessary legal counsel and negotiation services, while also procuring advantageous sponsorship and endorsement opportunities on all forms of media, including social platforms! 💪

She also is a host on the Throwing Shades Podcast, focused on harnessing the honesty and vulnerability of GALvanize to discuss her experiences and events that impact the industry and themselves.

We took a dive into sports business from a legal/agency perspective and discussed the important role lawyers & agents play in the broadcast media and social media side of sports.

Topic List
1. “Sports Industry Being a Stinker? Call Emily Staker”
2. Influencer Sports Journalism & Broadcast
3. The Next Generation of Women in Sports
4. Galvanize
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Apr 01, 202149:26
Episode #38 - Cheryl Pounder, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, Motivational Speaker, Broadcaster, and Co-Host of Her Mark Podcast - March 22nd, 2021

Episode #38 - Cheryl Pounder, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, Motivational Speaker, Broadcaster, and Co-Host of Her Mark Podcast - March 22nd, 2021

Wow, has it been a year already?! March 23rd marked the 1year anniversary of when Prof Walz and Prof Joe created SportTokz with SportProfz as a way to connect with students and sports industry pros as the pandemic settled in. 

One year later... we were honoured to have 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, Motivational Speaker, Broadcaster, and Co-Host of Her Mark Podcast, Cheryl Pounder, join us Monday March 22nd! In this episode, we chat about her Olympic career and what it was like to be a face of growth in women's hockey. We also dive into her experiencing broadcast & podcast life, where she thinks the industry is in terms of equality and the work sports media & professional organizations need to do to continue a progression forward. We also tackle the NCAA Madness that unfolded last week and what these actions said about the state of women's sports.

Along with dominating on the ice, Cheryl Pounder dominates off the ice as well with her confidence, passion and experience on International stages as an inspiring Motivational Speaker! Cheryl is a hockey analyst for TSN. She was also the colour commentator for the coverage of the women’s hockey tournament at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics for both TSN and CBC. Now alongside Kate Beirness, the 2 of them are making their mark on female empowerment with the launch of Her Mark Podcast.

Topic List
1. Olympic Achievements
2. “Her Mark” on Broadcast Media & Podcasting
3. NCAA Madness
4. Professional Women’s Hockey: It’s About Time
5. Rapid Fire Q'z - "GO!"

Mar 25, 202154:37
Episode #37 - Asher Hill, CBC Battle of the Blades, Co-Host of #ThatFigureSkatingShow, Coach & Choreographer - March 15, 2021

Episode #37 - Asher Hill, CBC Battle of the Blades, Co-Host of #ThatFigureSkatingShow, Coach & Choreographer - March 15, 2021

Oh Canada, we dive into the world of figure skating and the realities of the powerful sport. We were thrilled to have Canadian Coach & Choreographer, and Co-Host of #ThatFigureSkatingShow, Asher Hill join us this past Monday, March 15th, 2021. 

He was on Battle of the Blades (BOTB) mastering the art of BFF on ice and placed 2nd in the competition with hockey player partner, Jess Campbell. The Profz get to ask him a bunch of questions about his experience staking & coaching a professional hockey player in figure skates, the immediate chemistry & friendship with his partner and how BOTB helped repair his relationship with the sport. Now he is dominating the sports industry as a Canadian Coach & Choreographer, and Co-Host of #ThatFigureSkatingShow on CBC Sports YouTube! 

Asher sheds light on racism in figure skating and offers insight of what the sport can do to better encourage black youth to take figure skating or encourage diversity. We also discuss what it was like growing through his skating journey alongside his sister, Acacia Hill, and the work she is doing as a coach to build youth skaters from the roots up with her black owned skating school, Brampton Hill Skating Academy (https://bhsacademy.ca/

Asher Hill from Scarborough has been figure skating since he was three years old. He's competed in world championships and international events for Canada. He is the 2008 Canadian National Junior Champion and 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy Bronze Medalist. His love for his sport led him to a career as a licensed figure skating coach. As a skater and coach, he says he's constantly faced with racism and has always been painfully aware of the colour of his skin, which is why Asher is vocal to bring change to the world of sport.

Topic list

1. Battle of the Blades
2. Figure Skating Heartbreak & Comeback
3. Race on the Ice
4. Put Me in Coach!
5. Rapid Fire Q’z

Mar 18, 202144:56
Episode #36 - CBC Sports, Sarah Jenkins and PxP Announcer, Victor Findlay - March 8th, 2021

Episode #36 - CBC Sports, Sarah Jenkins and PxP Announcer, Victor Findlay - March 8th, 2021

Happy International Women's Day/Month!! On March 8th we celebrated IWD with CBC Digital Sport Producer, Sarah Jenkins, along with Freelance Writer and PlayxPlay Announcer, Victor Findlay. We took a deep dive into the sports industry through the eyes of recent graduates and compare/contrast the transition from an academic environment to their professional experiences. Both Sarah and Victor have achieved great heights in their careers already with so much room for growth and domination in sports! 🙌 As former Profz of these amazing students, we couldn't be more proud!

Sarah is a Digital Studio Producer at CBC Sports. Her work ranges from producer, leader, and creative specializing in digital content, video production and social media. Victor is the OHL Steelheads Broadcaster for Sauga960am - CBC Sports. His work ranges from writing, pxp commentary for radio, news breaking, and video editing. He was Sportsnet’s youngest play-by-play commentator in 2018! Both Sarah and Victor are Ryerson Grads!

See our topic list below:

Topic List

1. Hall of Student Fame - Experts in their field

2. Olympic Production

3. IWD: Women in Sports

4. “Gig Economy”

5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Mar 11, 202101:11:11
Episode #35 - Madison Koekkoek, Social Media & Digital Content - March 1, 2021

Episode #35 - Madison Koekkoek, Social Media & Digital Content - March 1, 2021

Happy International Women’s Month SportTokerz!! To kick off our female empowering roster for March, we had THE Social Media and Digital Content guru, Madison Koekkoek join us on March 1st! Madison not only brought her redhead ginger spice spunk to our virtual studio, but also an incredible amount of expertise and knowledge in the sports industry.

Madison shared compelling insight on the inner workings of managing sports social platforms, sports media, storytelling, marketing, and digital expertise based on her experiences at major networks and professional sports leagues. Madison offered refreshing openness and honesty handling all of the tough questions and unique perspectives as a woman working in the industry and her passion for mental health.

Big topics we discussed were women empowering women in the sports media sphere, athletes as humans first and their stories being done justice, owning the message, the direction diversity and inclusion standards are headed, indigenous advocacy and acknowledgment, and transparency. *Disclaimer: The WNBA Gear that Prof Walz is showing to our Live audience in the beginning of the episode was the orange t-shirt and orange hat. Laurel is commenting on the discrepancy in orange hues between the two pieces.

Madison’s past roles and experiences range from social media & digital content at Hockey Canada, CBC, CityTV, USports and she brings media, storytelling, marketing, digital expertise to the table from working in — minor hockey, the NHL, NFL, and CFL.

Mar 04, 202155:19
Episode #34 - Jess Silver & Joanne Smith, Paralympics, Elevating Athletes with Physical Challenges

Episode #34 - Jess Silver & Joanne Smith, Paralympics, Elevating Athletes with Physical Challenges

🎧🎙On Monday Feb 22nd, we were excited to have Founder of Flex For Access, Author, & Personal Trainer, Jess Silver, along with Award Winning TV Broadcaster, Certified Nutritional Practitioner & Author, Joanne Smith. This episode, we focused on Dis/Ability in Sports and Elevating Athletes!

Both Jess and Joanne provided compelling insights - Jess spoke about taking a step further from an advocacy-only-outlook and elevating it by working towards creating spaces of opportunity. Joanne discussed the broadcast scene and her work to elevate athletes with physical challenges in mainstream media.

Jess taught us her vocabulary as she prefers to speak about disability using the phrase ‘physical challenges’ instead - always putting the athlete first.

With the rich conversation taking us over time (as it always does) we pick one thoughtful Rapid Fire question to close the show. Laurel asks, “What advice would you give to up and coming student broadcasters, writers, social media, and content creators, when they are going to be covering the Paralympics in terms of how we could be communicating better?” Both Jess and Joanne do not disappoint in their answers.

See our topic list below:

Spotlight Speaker Intro

1. Dis/Ability Physical Challenges In Sports 1.
2. Flex For Access & Moving On, CBC
3. Public Speaking, Educating & #AuthorsOfInstagram
4. Rapid Fire Q - “Go!”

Feb 25, 202101:01:51
Episode #33 - Parminder Singh, NBA Host and Commentator

Episode #33 - Parminder Singh, NBA Host and Commentator

We were proud to host SportTokz in two languages, English & Punjabi, on February 8th with Spotlight Speaker, Parminder Singh, Host and Commentator in Punjabi at National Basketball Association (NBA)! We discuss Parminder's amazing career in sports and his experiences studying at some of the most prestigious universities in North America such as U of T, University of Wyoming, and HARVARD. We also chat about identifying a Need with a new segment - Punjabi Speaking Canadians - by building a brand and ignoring the obstacles of "nay sayers".  Today vs. when he co-started Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada. Tune in for inspiring insight and moments between Parminder and some of our viewers that you can't help but smile for.

See our topic list below:

Spotlight Speaker Intro

1. Early Career
2. The Start of Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada / Broadcasting
3. Flipping the Switch on Traditional Practices in Sports
4. The Growing Sikh and Punjabi community in Sports
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Feb 11, 202150:24
Episode #32 - Erik Denison, Author & Researcher with Monash University's Behavioural Science Research Laboratory

Episode #32 - Erik Denison, Author & Researcher with Monash University's Behavioural Science Research Laboratory

We had some duel #SportProfz and #SportTokz action on Monday February 1st as we hosted an exclusive episode to launch Laurel Walzak and Joe Recupero’s new book, “Sport Media Vectors: Digitization, Expanding Audiences, and the Globalization of Live Sport”. The Profz discussed how the book came about and dove into the fascinating topics their chapters address. We have also invited one of the chapter authors, Erik Denison, all the way from Australia to join us and discuss his chapter and specifically about prejudice reduction strategies, and diversity education.

We're focusing on how pride games have potential, but the approaches taken globally to these events need to be refocused to drive meaningful change to sport.

Erik Denison is a researcher with Monash University's Behavioural Science Research Laboratory, conducting world-first studies examining ways to change discriminatory behaviours in children's sport, using randomized, and controlled designs. Before joining Monash, Denison was a senior marketing and communication strategist and led the health and life sciences practice at a large agency. See our topic list below:

Spotlight Speaker Intro

1. Erik Denison: Chapter 8 "Do LGBT Pride Games Stop Homophobic Language in Sport"
2. Joe Recupero: Chapter 5 "What are the Major Strengths and Gaps in the Research Literature's Treatment of Gender and Masculinities  Intersecting with the Sport media industry"
3. Laurel Walzak: Chapter 4 “Exploring Sport Fan Expectations
4. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Feb 04, 202158:09
Office Hours #14 - Harnarayan Singh, PxP of Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi

Office Hours #14 - Harnarayan Singh, PxP of Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi

Dan "The Coach" Berlin is back with another Office Hours episode - the first of 2021 and first for Season 3! We invite Harnarayan Singh to talk about his rise in the business and discusses the journey of finding his voice. They also dive into how he views himself as a minority and putting all the doubters to rest.

Born and raised in small-town Alberta, Harnarayan Singh has risen through the broadcast ranks as a prominent media personality in hockey, calling games on Hockey Night Punjabi. As the NHL aims to grow the game in new markets and diversify its fan base, Harnarayan symbolizes the power sport has to unite people. He is the Play by Play Announcer of Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi, and just did his first ever game on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 calling the Edmonton Oilers’ vs. the Vancouver Canucks in English for an English broadcast, and he was the first Sikh person to ever do it!

*This episode was recorded January 14th, 2021*

Feb 02, 202123:24
Episode #31 - Dan Robson, Senior Writer/Head of Features - The Athletic Canada, Author, and Ryerson RTA Sport Media Instructor

Episode #31 - Dan Robson, Senior Writer/Head of Features - The Athletic Canada, Author, and Ryerson RTA Sport Media Instructor

For another #SportProfz edition of the show, we were excited to have Senior Writer/Head of Features - The Athletic Canada, Author, and Ryerson RTA Sport Media instructor, Dan Robson join us on Monday January 25th! He provided such interesting insights and thoughtful answers to all of our audience questions. We dove into the responsibility sports writers have to provide a platform for athletes, coaches, and people working in sport to have a voice. We discuss the toxicity in hockey culture, online bullying, and the representation of women in sports and how important it is for writers to be an ally and help bring awareness to these issues.

With a master's in journalism from Carleton University, Dan Robson took his talent to many corporations from the Toronto Star, CBC to landing his first senior position as a writer at SportsNet. with this passion, he also wrote many sports-themed books. Today Robson is the head of features at the athletic Canada and is a part-time instructor at Ryerson University for the RTA sport media program. See our topic list below:

Topic List

1. Toxic culture in hockey
2. Allyship
3. Online Bullying
4. Representation of women in Sports
5. Dan The Writer
6. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Jan 28, 202101:03:21
Episode #30 - UCLA Softball Coach & NCAA Champion, Kirk Walker

Episode #30 - UCLA Softball Coach & NCAA Champion, Kirk Walker

Welcome back SportTokerz! We hope you had a safe and wonderful holiday break and enjoyed the SportTokz Office Hours episodes while we were away. We are back to our regular scheduled programming and starting SEASON 3! Thank you so much for your continued support in our show and we are looking forward to this semester's roster of speakers.

To kick off 2021, we had UCLA Softball Coach & NCAA Champion, Kirk Walker join us on Monday, January 18th and he provided such interesting insights to the scope of coaching elite athletes and the show embodied great culture AND chemistry (You'll get the inside joke once you listen). Kirk's optimism and coaching experience is remarkable and we were all inspired by his passion and enthusiasm for the game. See our topic list below:

Spotlight Speaker Intro

1. Coaching/teaching in a person’s blood
2. Secrets/strategies to Winning
3. Team Chemistry vs Team Culture
4. Athletes/coaches coming out
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Jan 21, 202157:23
Office Hours #13 - RTA Grad & On Air Personality, Ailish Forfar

Office Hours #13 - RTA Grad & On Air Personality, Ailish Forfar

Dan "The Coach" Berlin is joined by RTA Grad & On Air Personality, Ailish Forfar. 

Ailish is the host of Sportnet’s new digital interactive show “NHL Chatroom” live on Sportnet’s Youtube and Facebook channels weekly with Steve Dangle.

Jan 16, 202139:24
Office Hours #12 - ESPN NFL Insider, Adam Schefter

Office Hours #12 - ESPN NFL Insider, Adam Schefter

Dan "The Coach" Berlin invites Adam Schefter who is an NFL Insider for ESPN to the show! Adam has over 8 million twitter followers which makes him a pretty big deal. We did a deep dive into how to obtain sources and interviewing skills too.

Jan 14, 202123:51
Office Hours #11 - Senior Writer withThe Athletic, Thomas Drance

Office Hours #11 - Senior Writer withThe Athletic, Thomas Drance

We welcome Thomas Drance, Senior Writer with The Athletic, covering the Vancouver Canucks to the virtual studio and did a deep dive into gaining access to athletes as a reporter and communications professional.

Jan 12, 202140:39
Office Hours #10 - Sportsnet National Reporter, Arash Madani

Office Hours #10 - Sportsnet National Reporter, Arash Madani

Dan 'The Coach' Berlin along with his co-host David Singh welcomes Sportsnet National Reporter, Arash Madani! In this episode, they discuss the nuances of reporting on professional sports. Get ready for some great insights!

Jan 07, 202139:34
Office Hours #9 - Sportsnet Sr. Producer, Graeme Campbell

Office Hours #9 - Sportsnet Sr. Producer, Graeme Campbell

Dan "The Coach" Berlin is back with another Office Hours episode and invites Sportsnet Sr. Producer, Original Digital Content, Graeme Campbell to the studio. They discussed strategies for students creating digital content.

Jan 06, 202135:31
Office Hours #8 - Shireen Ahmed, Sports Journalist, TEDx Speaker, Activist, Podcaster

Office Hours #8 - Shireen Ahmed, Sports Journalist, TEDx Speaker, Activist, Podcaster

Dan "The Coach" Berlin is back with another Office Hours episode and invites Shireen to talk about the challenges facing journalists and finding stories without access.

Jan 05, 202149:39
Episode #29 - Tara Slone - Host of Sportsnet's Top of Her Game & Co-Host of Rogers Hometown Hockey

Episode #29 - Tara Slone - Host of Sportsnet's Top of Her Game & Co-Host of Rogers Hometown Hockey

🎧🎙NEW EPISODE #29! Host of Sportsnet's Top of Her Game and Co-host of Rogers Hometown Hockey, Tara Slone (@taraslone) joined us Monday December 14th! Tara sported her orange @WNBA hoodie that Sports Business Journal names as the Best Fashion Statement of 2020….and the female sports empowerment didn’t stop there! See our topic list below:

Spotlight Speaker & Featured Guest Intro

1. Start of your Journey
2. Television and Broadcasting
3. Empowering women
4. Critical issues in sports
5. Rapid Fire Q'z - "GO!"

Dec 17, 202052:53
Episode #28 - Olivia Stomski - Director at Newhouse Sports Media Center - Syracuse University

Episode #28 - Olivia Stomski - Director at Newhouse Sports Media Center - Syracuse University

Olivia Stomski, Director at Newhouse Sports Media Center - Syracuse University (@syracuseu) joined us Monday December 7th! Olivia is a graduate of Syracuse University in Broadcast Journalism. Her skills range from broadcast television, Video production, and directing. She worked for Fox Sports Net for 10 years, Field producing, writing and editing magazine shows. Her more recent job is Director at Newhouse Sports Media Center! She is an inspiration to women in the industry and we enjoyed hearing about how she structures her courses to reflect innovations and evolutions in sports media production and the depths she goes to advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in sports. PLUS she provided helpful tips for students as they search for internships during the pandemic!

This episode was hosted by RTA Professor Joe Recupero, CBC Executive Producer Karen Sebesta, and Dan "The Coach" Berlin. See our topic list below:

Spotlight Speaker Intro

1. Start of your Journey
2. Sports Media Gender and Diversity
3. Post-Pandemic Media Education
4. Post-Pandemic Media Production
5. Rapid Fire Q'z - "GO!"

Dec 10, 202058:39
Episode #27 - Founder, Producer & Director, Steven Hoffner - 383 Pictures

Episode #27 - Founder, Producer & Director, Steven Hoffner - 383 Pictures

Founder, Producer and Director at 383 Pictures, Steven Matthew Hoffner joined us on Monday November 30th and we discussed everything about sports production and creative practices! We dive deep into his work with the Disney corporation and how that partnership was connected through sports and we even got some super Ace Ventura impressions going during Rapid Fire Q’z! See topic list below:

1. Becoming a Producer and Director
2. Producing and Directorial techniques
3. Walt Disney and the NHL
4. 383 Pictures
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Dec 03, 202001:03:02
Episode #26 - James Ronan, Co-Founder & Host of BigBrainSports Podcast

Episode #26 - James Ronan, Co-Founder & Host of BigBrainSports Podcast

For our first #SportTokzNextGen episode, we had James Ronan, Co-Founder and Host of BigBrainSports Podcast, on the show! James is a 13-year old kid who has been passionate about sports for as long as he can remember. He dreams of working in the sports industry when he grows up. James is inspired by Zion Williamson and First Take, the sports debate show on ESPN hosted by Molly Rose with the two debaters being Steven.A.Smith and Max Kellerman.

Nov 26, 202052:20
Episode #25 - Special Advisor at PlayOn! Canada, Russell Kovshoff

Episode #25 - Special Advisor at PlayOn! Canada, Russell Kovshoff

We had Sports Entertainment Champion Russell Kovshoff join the show on Monday, November 16th! Russell is a sports marketing and entertainment professional with 15+ years of experience within sports entertainment, international sporting events, and brand development. He has worked for a variety of sports brands including but not limited to, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Raptors, Super Bowl LIV, and more! He chatted about all these experiences plus filled us in on new projects he’s working on with Play On! Canada. See our topic list below:

1. Spotlight Speaker Intro
2. Past Experiences
3. New Projects
4. Current Trends in Sports Russell Follows
5. Rapid Fire Q’z & Quiz

Nov 19, 202058:03
Office Hours #7 - Oshawa Generals, Jessica Corbett

Office Hours #7 - Oshawa Generals, Jessica Corbett

On Wednesdays we celebrate women in sports…actually we do that everyday!! We have a NEW EPISODE of SportTokz Office Hours with Social and Digital Marketing expert, Jessica Corbett! She is known for the incredible work she did with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals as their Manager of Social Media, Media Relations & Game Presentation. We chat about sports, social media, her work with the Walt Disney Company and how she transfers all her experience & expertise into her jobs.

Note: This episode was recorded in September 2020 for any timeline references.

Nov 18, 202055:05
Episode #24 - UFC Senior VP, International & Content - David Shaw

Episode #24 - UFC Senior VP, International & Content - David Shaw

On Monday Nov. 9th we stepped into the ring with David Shaw - Senior Vice President, International and Content at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)! David is a dynamic sports executive, entrepreneur and business strategist with an acute understanding of sports management and sports content distribution. We discussed fan engagement and increasing viewership via traditional and non-traditional broadcast, content creation and digitization of the sport. 

We had a special addition to our host panel as we welcomed three Ryerson RTA students to hop on the show as co-hosts! RTA Sport Media 1st Year Zhen Park-Vandal and 2nd Years Ryan Castelino & Stetson Colicchio did a fantastic job and asked questions that David was thoroughly impressed with.

See our topic list below:

1. Managing UFC Content and Broadcast Media
2. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”
3. “Class in Session!” - RTA 231 Marketing Question
4. Building Fandom Through Digitalization

Nov 12, 202001:00:53
Episode #23 - 2x Olympian, Anastasia Bucsis

Episode #23 - 2x Olympian, Anastasia Bucsis

We were honoured to have 2x Olympian, Athlete Management Lead & Host, CBC Sports, & RBC Olympian, Anastasia Bucsis (@anastasure) join SportTokz on Monday November 2nd. We chatted about her passion for public speaking, sport marketing and management, fan engagement and how she works toward inspiring a future generation in building a better world. We also discussed topics ranging from the Olympics, working in sport media and what comes after being an athlete. We also addressed the recent news hitting the Arizona Coyotes. See topic list below:

1. Hockey Culture in the Spotlight
2. The Role Of Athlete As Activist
3. Life After Sports
4. Behind the Curtain of Sports Media
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Nov 05, 202055:06
Episode #22 - Tom Pistore, President, UBS Arena (Home of the New York Islanders)

Episode #22 - Tom Pistore, President, UBS Arena (Home of the New York Islanders)

We had Tom Pistore, President, UBS Arena, Commercial Business Operations, (Home of the New York Islanders join us on the show last Monday, October 26th! We chatted about Isles hockey and the strategic planning that goes into sponsorship activation, fan experience, and marketing within the business operations of UBS Arena. See topic list below:

1. Spotlight Speaker Intro - Working the Dream
2.
NY ISLANDERS
3. Marketing and Sales
4. Leadership and Branding in sports
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Oct 30, 202041:50
Episode #21 - NYU Global Sport Professor, David Hollander

Episode #21 - NYU Global Sport Professor, David Hollander

Monday October 19th was a night of top notch sports education with the best of the best #SportProfz! We had @nyuniversity School of Professional Studies Professor in the Tisch Institute for Global Sport, David Hollander join us! David had a great deal of knowledge and experience to share. The conversation grew into discussing the level of influence basketball has on not just sport but culture, politics, media, music, fashion, etc. He also touched on his thoughts about force vs skill in sports and the balance basketball has in comparison to other sports. Furthermore, we learned about his research of how basketball can save the world!! See topic list below:

1. How Can Basketball Save the World?
2. NBA / WNBA Basketball Updates
3. Basketball & ESPORTS
4. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Oct 24, 202055:52
Office Hours #6 - Edmonton Oilers Beat Reporter for The Athletic, Daniel Nugent-Bowman

Office Hours #6 - Edmonton Oilers Beat Reporter for The Athletic, Daniel Nugent-Bowman

This week Dan "The Coach" Berlin meets with Edmonton Oilers beat reporter for The Athletic, Daniel Nugent Bowman! They discuss covering the NHL bubble in Edmonton during the pandemic. The overall theme for this episode is Sports Reporting in a Pandemic.

Oct 22, 202044:17
Office Hours #5 - TSN Reporter, Matthew Scianitti
Oct 22, 202054:47
Episode #20 - Former NFL & CFL Player, Brian Bulcke - Managing Partner Play4Tomorrow

Episode #20 - Former NFL & CFL Player, Brian Bulcke - Managing Partner Play4Tomorrow

On Monday, October 5th, Brian Bulcke joined the show where we learned about his former playing days in the NFL & CFL and the exciting work he is doing as the Managing Partner of Play4Tomorrow! We discussed college athletics, pro/semi-pro sports, youth development, & sports tech! Later, we took a look into athletes using their voice to speak against social injustices and how financial struggles will impact sports over the next few seasons. See topic list below:

1. College Athletics, Pro/Semi-Pro Sports, Youth Development & Sports Tech
2. Athletes Using their Voice
3. Soccer Update & Financial Struggles in Sports
4. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”


Oct 17, 202001:13:40
Episode #19 - Rugby Exclusive w/ Nigel D’Acre, Amy Stoparczyk, & Jon Pallett - Sept.28.20

Episode #19 - Rugby Exclusive w/ Nigel D’Acre, Amy Stoparczyk, & Jon Pallett - Sept.28.20

It's all about Rugby in Canada as we host an Exclusive Rugby episode with panel of the industry's best! We have the Founder of Canadian Misfit Rugby & National/Provincial Youth Rugby Coach, Nigel D’Acre joining the show with featured guests from the Toronto Wolfpack, Amy Stoparczyk - Senior Producer, Digital Content and Jon Pallett - VP Commercial. See our topic list below.

1. Working in Professional Rugby - Past to Present
2. State of Rugby in Canada
3. Trans Inclusion in Rugby
4. Esports and Rugby
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “Go!”

Oct 14, 202001:04:59
Episode #18 - Canadian Press, Gregory Strong - Sept.21.20

Episode #18 - Canadian Press, Gregory Strong - Sept.21.20

We had Gregory Strong from The Canadian Press join us on the show to discuss the future of sports journalism and the new era of reporting. We also discuss the possibility for Canada to become the bubble for the sports universe. And as a natural journalist, our speaker surprised us with questions of his own! See our topic list below.

1. Greg Strong from the Canadian Press
2. Masai Ujiri’s end-of-season media availability
3. Representation in Newsrooms
4. Is Canada the Bubble of the Sports Universe?
5. Rapid Fire Q’z - "GO!"

Oct 07, 202001:08:21
Office Hours #4 - Donnovan Bennett - Sportsnet Reporter-Producer

Office Hours #4 - Donnovan Bennett - Sportsnet Reporter-Producer

Donnovan Bennett joined Dan 'The Coach' Berlin for an Office Hours segment this week for his Sport Journalism course at Ryerson University. This episode takes a deep dive on his journalistic practices, with the second half of the conversation delving into issues of race. It was an incredible hour discussing his craft (as a journalist), the changing landscape of media, and race issues as well. Join us on SportTokz with SportProfz on Monday night September 14th at 8pm EST to continue our conversation with Donnovan. This episode will be aired LIVE on Zoom and will focus on current topics in sports from Olympics, US Open - Tennis, NASCAR, NFL, and more!

Sep 29, 202001:01:37
Episode #17 - Donnovan Bennett, Sportsnet & Alex Gallacher, NASCAR - Sept.14.20

Episode #17 - Donnovan Bennett, Sportsnet & Alex Gallacher, NASCAR - Sept.14.20

Welcome to SEASON 2 of SportTokz with SportProfz! We open our second season with Sportsnet Reporter/Producer, Donnovan Bennett as our spotlight speaker and Social Media Specialist/Beat Reporter for NASCAR, our featured guest, Alex Gallacher. The discussion for this episode is centred around critical topics within basketball, soccer, tennis, and NASCAR. See topic list below!

Spotlight Speaker & Featured Guest Intro

1. Basketball Updates

2. Equal Pay for Brazil’s National Soccer Team

3. Tennis US Open Updates

4. NASCAR, Social Media, Graduating RTA

5. Rapid Fire Q’z - “GO!”

Sep 29, 202001:04:41
Episode #16 - Jesse Pollock - TSN Producer - Aug.31.2020

Episode #16 - Jesse Pollock - TSN Producer - Aug.31.2020

On Monday, August 31, 2020 TSN Producer and RTA graduate of the 2018 and first graduating class of the RTA Sport Media program, joined SportTokz and "Jesse was energized, so articulate and beaming with life!" - Prof Walz. Jesse provided thoughtful insight on critical topics and offered advice for students entering the RTA program at Ryerson this year. He discussed ways in which students can start to value professional goofiness and how the sky is the limit for creation. See topic list below!

  1. Jesse Profile
  2. We're Not Going to Take It
  3. Athletes Supporting Black Lives Matter
  4. EsportsTokz: Life in the Bubble
  5. Social Media Chatz
  6. Rapid Fire Q’z
Sep 22, 202056:31
Office Hours #3 - Tara Slone - Rogers Hometown Hockey & Sportsnet Top of Her Game

Office Hours #3 - Tara Slone - Rogers Hometown Hockey & Sportsnet Top of Her Game

Co-host of Rogers Hometown Hockey and Host of Sportsnet Top of Her Game, Tara Slone joined me on an episode of Office Hours to chat about her incredible experience in the entertainment business. Did you know she started as an Opera singer?! Real Pat Benatar vibes. Jeff Marek also contributed with a real thought-provoking question and you can't miss Tara's inspiring and empowered answer. Listen on our Podcast now!

See our Topic List below:

1. CAREER BACKGROUND
2. USING YOUR VOICE
3. BROADCASTING IN FAN-FREE SPACES
4. TOP OF HER GAME
5. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC
6. PANDEMIC IMPACTING WOMEN'S SPORTS
7. QUESTION FROM JEFF MAREK
8. ADVICE FOR STUDENTS

Thank you for listening to SportTokz with SportProfz! We would love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on our show by submitting a testimonial on our website on the Contact page. Also, check out SportTokz Pod on Apple Podcast to submit a rating & leave a review.

Sep 10, 202035:34
Episode #15 Jeff Marek Ft. Sydney Large & Vince Capano - August 24, 2020

Episode #15 Jeff Marek Ft. Sydney Large & Vince Capano - August 24, 2020

On Monday August 24th we welcomed NHL Host on Sportsnet and 31 Thoughts the Podcast, Jeff Marek! Jeff is one of the most trusted voices in hockey journalism and respected because he cares about the professionals in sport that he interviews. He prioritizes building relationships with athletes, coaches, GM’s and other organizational pros and only wish to seek the stories they want to tell. We were are also excited to have Sydney Large, student at the University of Minnesota & founder of Support Women in Sport (@SupportWSports - Twitter) and recent grad from Brock University & founder of (@sportchat2020), Vince Capano as our Featured Guests!

On this episode we chatted about discrimination in sports following the recent misogynistic comments by Mike Milbury and the homophobic commentary from Thom Brennaman. We discussed these topics from both an academic and industry perspective. Our profs, Jeff and our featured guests offered thoughtful analysis leading to profound quotes such as “We need to get to a point where we have an all women's panel and not call it a “women's” panel" and “There is no such thing as sloppy broadcasting if it is not in your unconscious bias” See full topic list below.

1. 31 Thoughts on Jeff Marek
2. Bubbles & Broadcast
3. EsportsTokz: Embracing Innovation During the Pandemic
4. Mike Milbury Comments
5. Thom Brennaman Suspension
6. Support Women in Sports w/ Sydney Large
7. Sport Chats w/ Vince Capano
8. Rapid Fire Q’z

Thank you for listening to SportTokz with SportProfz! We would love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on our show by submitting a testimonial on our website on the Contact page. Also, check out SportTokz Pod on Apple Podcast to submit a rating & leave a review.

Sep 02, 202001:14:16
Episode #14 - Chanelle S. Reynolds - August 17, 2020
Aug 25, 202056:39
Office Hours #2 - Zack Brame - Career Profile & NHL Bubble with the Carolina Hurricanes

Office Hours #2 - Zack Brame - Career Profile & NHL Bubble with the Carolina Hurricanes

On this episode of SportTokz Office Hours we chat with Zack Brame, Digital Content Producer for the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL! See the topic list below.

1. Career Profile
2. Applying for the Carolina Hurricanes
3. Inside the NHL Bubble
4. Oh Canada - So much love for us eh?
5. Piston Cup Racing - “He did what in his cup?”
6. Best Social Media in Sports
7. Career Advice - Can you come back to sports if you step away?
8. Networking Tips for Post-Secondary Students

Thank you for listening to SportTokz with SportProfz! We would love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on our show by submitting a testimonial on our website on the Contact page. Also, check out SportTokz Pod on Apple Podcast to submit a rating & leave a review.

Aug 12, 202037:58
SportTokz Office Hours #1 - NHL Seattle Kraken Launch Analysis

SportTokz Office Hours #1 - NHL Seattle Kraken Launch Analysis

We are launching a new segment to our show called SportTokz Office Hours! This will be a space where we focus on specific topics or profiles of sport professionals and professors. You can find deep dives on important issues and detailed analysis of sport media, digital marketing, broadcast, game operations, sport business, social media and more. 

We introduce SportTokz Office Hours with Dan Marrazza, Erin Hodges, and Kassie Epstein as we dive deep toward the Seattle Kraken and analyze the branding & social-digital media wins and losses of the 32nd NHL team’s launch. How does it compare and contrast with the Vegas Golden Knights launch?

1. Analyze the launch - Storytelling (from teasers to the name announcement)
2. Analyzing the logos & colour choice
3. Branding via digital production
4. Branding on social media
5. Moving forward - How can Seattle break the status quo?

Thank you for listening to SportTokz with SportProfz! We would love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts on our show by submitting a testimonial on our website on the Contact page. Also, check out SportTokz Pod on Apple Podcast to submit a rating & leave a review.

Jul 31, 202001:31:45
Episode #13 - Dan Marrazza & Erin Hodges - July 20, 2020

Episode #13 - Dan Marrazza & Erin Hodges - July 20, 2020

Dan Marrazza - most recently NHL Vegas Golden Knights, Director of Digital & Social Media, & Senior Specialist, Social Marketing at DraftKings, Inc. and our Featured Guest, Erin Hodges - Digital Marketing at the Tampa Bay Rays joined us on Monday July 20th, 2020 to chat everything sport social media and digital marketing. See our topic list below.

1. Dan & Erin Profile

2. Social Content During COVID: Who's standing out?

3. Twitch/Simulated game potential value, during COVID and post COVID

4. _____ UPDATE (Fill in the blank)

5. Industry Retrospective: How much the biz has changed in 10 years

6. Rapid Fire Q'z

7. Breaking Into the Biz

Jul 28, 202001:12:24
Episode #12 - Shireen Ahmed - July 6, 2020

Episode #12 - Shireen Ahmed - July 6, 2020

The spark and a firecracker herself, Shireen Ahmed - Sports Journalist, TEDx Speaker, Sports Activist, Podcaster, Consultant - joined us on July 6th, 2020 to discuss activism in sport and her takes on the changes we see happening in the industry now. Shireen was FULL of energy and it will be impossible for you to not feel inspiration by the end of the episode. You can follow her on Instagram @footybedsheets and @_shireenahmed_ on Twitter. See our topic list below.

  1. Shireen Ahmed Profile
  2. NWSL Challenge Cup
  3. Athletes opting out of seasons/tournaments
  4. Esports + D&I
  5. Esports at the Olympics
  6. Team Name Changes (MLB, CFL, NFL) (NHL??)
  7. _____ Update (fill in the blank)
  8. Rapid Fire Q'z

Disclaimer: In light of Edmonton CFL's recent news that was released after the recording of this episode, regarding the retirement of their name, we now only refer the team as the “EE Football Team".

Jul 22, 202001:09:59
Episode #11 - RTA Grad Celly & Class of 2024 Welcome - June 29th, 2020

Episode #11 - RTA Grad Celly & Class of 2024 Welcome - June 29th, 2020

On Monday, June 29th we were back with another #SportProfz edition of our show to celebrate Ryerson University’s RTA Graduating Class of 2020 and Welcome the Incoming Class of 2024! RTA Professors, Prof Walz, Prof Joe, Dan “The Coach” Berlin, and Dr. Nicole Forrester came back to be our hosts for the evening. Students reflected on their 4 years the program and share knowledge and advice to incoming students to create excitement for the incoming class! See our topic list below.

1. Celebrate defining moments in RTA
2. RTA 2020 Superlatives
3. Wisdom to impart to first year students
4. What’s next? Graduates to Professionals

Jul 09, 202001:16:59
Episode #10 - Dr. Jen Welter - June 22nd, 2020

Episode #10 - Dr. Jen Welter - June 22nd, 2020

Dr. Jen Welter, First Female Coach, NFL & Madden, PhD Sport Psych and Author joined us on June 22nd, 2020 to chat about coaching at all levels of sport and how her experiences have shaped her life. Dan "The Coach" Berlin finally met his match as Dr. Welter absolutely killed the Rapid Fire Q'z segment and had viewers applauding her for being the first to truly get a hang of the game.

1. Dr. Jen Welter Spotlight
2. COVID Positive Tests - What Now?
3. ESPYS - Love for Hosts, Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird
4. NASCAR - Bubba Wallace
5. EsportTokz Update
6. Rapid Fire Q’z - “Go!”
7. _____ Update (Fill in the blank)
8. Social Media - Arizona Christian University
9. Questions from our viewers

Jul 02, 202001:11:28