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The OSC Interview: Trenton Freedom Broadcaster Dave Leno

by Fran Stuchbury
June 24, 2014 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Trenton Freedom


OurSports Central Contributor Fran Stuchbury interviewed Trenton Freedom radio play-by-play announcer Dave Leno prior to the Freedom coaches show at the Continental Tavern in Yardley, Pennsylvania. The Freedom is playing its first playing season in the Professional Indoor Football League and will be hosting a playoff game Saturday, July 5th.

Fran Stuchbury: What interested you in doing radio for the Trenton Freedom?

Dave Leno: Fran, I am a broadcaster that brings a lot of versatility to the table. I have done a lot of different sports like college basketball, soccer, hockey, and volleyball. Football is one of the sports I do have some experience in. I want to broaden that realm, and they brought me in as I am a very excitable announcer. I am an announcer that puts people on the edge of the seat, especially in close games. I feel like I'm attaining that goal, which I set out when I came in.

FS: Do you feel you have the need to explain the rules to people who may be listening to Freedom games for the first time since it is indoor football?

DL: I think it is imperative, especially for this type of football league that when an "uno" comes up (a point scored when kicking the ball through the goal post on a kickoff), that is specific to this league. It is the broadcaster's prerogative to explain because you will get listeners out there that might tune in for the first time. If I am not explaining exactly what the rule says I am not doing my job. Like if the ball hits the goal post on the kickoff you are not able to return it; things of that nature.

FS: Are you a fan of the "uno" or would you prefer more kick-off returns?

DL: I like the "uno" a lot. I think it's different, it's unique to all of indoor football. I like the fact that the kicker can go for it. It makes the kicker more part of the game. A couple of times this season, uno's have been meaningful especially to the Trenton Freedom in some of the close games they had. Shawn Leo, our kicker, has done a great job excelling in the uno's and really mastering that.

FS: How do you like working with color commentator Mike Samsel? You guys have good chemistry together.

DL: Mike and I have great chemistry. When I am in my play-by-play mode, he knows to let me go and when he analyses a play, I'm never going to tell him to stop talking. When a team does a play he will explain why a certain play was called and why it developed in that fashion, where I am giving the nuts and bolts of the play. Him and I break each other's stones a little bit here and there. We keep the broadcast from being dry.

I am always the type of guy that sticks to my fundamentals, saying the score, time, down and distance and who has the ball. On radio new people that listen are tuning in every three or four seconds, so I am going to constantly recap the game, but Mike and I have such a great rapport, a dynamic with each other, it seems like we have been friends forever even though we just met prior to the season starting.

FS: You have been on road trips to four different PIFL teams: Lehigh Valley, Richmond, Harrisburg and Alabama. Which one was the best experience?

DL: I definitely loved the Alabama trip that we just went on. I was on a long car ride and saw the towns in Alabama with the front office. Just getting to know everybody away from the office, it kind of puts people on a personal level. We had a lot of laughs; it was a blast!

FS: How has working with the Freedom front office been so far?

DL: The front office is great, everybody is on the same page. We all bounce off ideas from each other, department to department. Even though I am a broadcaster, if I have an idea about a marketing or a give away, I talk to general manager Megan Williams or co-owner Dennis Williams and say, 'Hey what do you guy think about this?.' In turn, they will come to me and say what do you think about this or that we want to send out as a press release or something like that.

We are all helping each other out. It's what I would call a decentralized work environment. That means even though there are figure heads in the front office, nobody acts like that. Everybody can be open with each other. We have weekly meetings on what we want to accomplish, it's been wonderful.

FS: How do you like doing games at the Sun National Bank Center? Is it a good place to do indoor football?

DL: The Sun National Bank Center is beautiful; just seeing the red and blue turf for the first time is great. It has a gorgeous press box and it is really spacious. I love calling the games up there, it's a great view for me and is perfect for me to see the game.

FS: How do you like dealing with head coach Kevin O'Hanlon?

DL: Kevin is great, he understands that I am a big prep guy, so when I do coaches shows, anything I need from him before the games he will always help me out. I can always knock on his office door, it is usually open, and I just walk right in. He will always give me the time. Kevin actually wanted to be a broadcaster before he got into coaching, so he understands an announcer's point of view and what they need to know to be better prepared. He's always there for me, and I respect that.

FS: Has doing Freedom games helped keep you sharp for the sports you broadcast in the fall and the winter?

DL: It has because announcing Freedom games always takes place at a high-octane, fast-paced level. When I go back to doing college basketball, soccer and softball, those types of sports might not be as fast as this football game but because it's not as fast I can breathe a little bit more and let the game breathe, which in turn allows me to be more sharp.

When I am doing these Freedom games, everything is going a mile a minute. So when you finally get the chance to relax and just do sports on television and just do the talking, it's a whole different element to a broadcast.

FS: The Freedom have a home playoff game on July 5th. For fans who have yet to attend a game, why should they go?

DL: Because fans love high scoring and if you're looking for something where there is not a lot of down time, that has a high-octane offense and defense, you have to come to a Trenton Freedom game. The games last anywhere from two and a half to three hours.

The teams score a lot of points; very few times do teams not score on offense. to me as a broadcaster, I love that because it creates so many highlights. I think fans get so many highlights watching it from the stands.

The music is always blasting, everybody is cheering and I see so many fans watching the games with smiles on their faces. It is not like they are sitting there at a baseball game or soccer game, where there is not a lot of scoring. You tend to converse more with fans at Freedom games because the indoor football is heart-wrenching, hard-nosed football that you're going love if you come out to a game.

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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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