By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
If you’ve been to a Piedmont baseball game or to watch the Wildcats play softball or football, you’ve heard a familiar voice letting you know who was in on the tackle or who is up to bat.
Ian Nikkel, a senior to be at Piedmont High School, has been chasing his dream for a while now. Calling games over the P.A. system at Piedmont events or talking professional and college sports on his radio show is his passion and his future. He has kick-started his career even before receiving his high school diploma.
“I’ve always loved sports,” Nikkel said of why he chose to pick up the gig of calling games at Piedmont. “I played baseball and basketball in middle school and elementary. And once I realized I wasn’t the gifted athlete I thought I was, I still wanted to be involved somehow.”
While sitting in class one day, the front office sent out a message over the intercom asking students to sign up if they wanted to become a P.A. Announcer for the junior varsity football team. Nikkel marched down to the office and got the gig.
“Slowly it just started to add up to more events,” Nikkel said. “And over time I started working with a local radio station on the side for a 30-minute show.”
After a while, real life kicked in and Nikkel had to quit his radio gig to get a job at a local pizza joint in town. He spent 11 months away from radio before he got a call that rejuvenated his passion for talking sports.
“I’m in San Antonio and I was checking my social media while I was at a petting zoo,” he said. “I got a direct message from Jeremy Coleman. He said he didn’t know if I remembered who he was, but knew I was interested in sports radio. He had it set up and wanted me to be a part of it.
“I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think I was going to get another shot like that for a long time.”
Crossover Radio was Nikkel’s opportunity to get back to doing what he loves most. Crossover Radio is an online station that seeks to add impacting content to the culture through a Christian worldview. Nikkel hosts a show each week called ‘Nikkel Coverage’ where he talks about Piedmont sports, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State football and more. You can hear his show from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at CrossoverRadio.com And soon he will be working with the station as they cover Bethany and Putnam City sports this fall.
Nikkel had to learn on the fly. He took a 10-week class to learn the technical part of the show and slowly found his groove.
“At the old station, the manager told me to work on show prep,” he said. “I had a partner at the time, but once I was doing the show by myself I thought I would just wing it. I’ve had to develop a process and it took me a few weeks to somewhat perfect it. It was a slow process, but in the end it worked out great.
“When you get it all out there on the radio, the work is worth it.”
It’s broadcasting or bust Nikkel said when talking about his future. He has a few colleges in mind, but has his heart set on Oklahoma University in Norman or Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. It doesn’t matter the sport, he’s all in.
“My favorite sport to call is the one I’m calling next,” he said. “There are elements about each sport that I love. Wrestling has the craziest fans, softball is always a blast because of the team’s success and baseball has always been a childhood favorite of mine as well.”
You will be able to hear Nikkel’s voice for one more year as he continues to call games for Piedmont as a senior. Where you hear him next could be at the collegiate level or even professional sports. It’s wherever God wants to take him he said.
“I wouldn’t be where I am and doing what I’m doing if it wasn’t for God,” Nikkel explained.
“I wouldn’t be here either without Piedmont and the athletic department giving me the chance. I’m just grateful that I get to peruse my career and do what I love, which is talking sports and calling games.”
