From Hardwood to Headphones, Shields Shines

The lights are flashing. The dull roar of the crowd, announcer, music ringing in her ears. Game face is on. This is what she's prepared for and she feels that rush of exhilaration as the ball is tipped into the air to begin the game.

Boston College women's basketball alumna Kerri Shields (2009-13) is no stranger to the feeling of game day. As an Eagle, she racked up 1,067 career points in her tenure, and is third in program history in treys (252). She's seen action is 126 games, including a Women's National Invitation Tournament appearance.

These days, Shields finds excitement in a different aspect of basketball – color commentary, both for her former team and the Boston College men's team.

"I've loved the game for as long as I can remember," shared Shields. "I love the X's and O's of the game. I was never the most athletic player, but I think my work ethic and basketball IQ was what set me apart growing up. There's a lot that translates from being a player to calling games - the feeling of competition and preparation, of being on a team and the rush and excitement you get from playing."

In her third season of calling games for the women, Shields finds confidence from her deep knowledge of the game – which she utilizes to call the game from the perspective of the players, coaches and as an analysist – and the sizable amount of preparation that occurs before she even walks into Conte Forum.

"I like to make my own scouting reports for both teams that I have with me at game time, as well as notes I've taken in preparation - personnel facts, storylines, information from coaches/players," said Shields.

The Drexel Hill, Pa. native even carves out time to study commentary from those that she admires in the business as well as making time around her full time job to do the groundwork required to succeed.

After learning time management skills as a BC student-athlete, Shields can balance her full-time position while continuing to develop her broadcasting career.

"I've learned to take advantage of any free time I have,' said Shields. "I am in the car a lot for my job, so instead of just listening to the radio, I use that time listening to podcasts or games I have recorded on my phone. On an off night, I'm watching games and prepping for my next assignment."

Of course, there are a vast amount of skills that Shields collected from donning No. 10 in Maroon and Gold that translate well to calling games: performing under pressure, solving problems, meeting challenges, setting goals, communicating, handling success and failure and working in a group, to touch on a few.

Shields has harvested these skills, and particularly her broadcasting skill immensely since calling her first game in Dublin, Ireland for the professional league playoffs.

"I was extremely nervous, but very excited for the opportunity," recalled Shields. "The funny part about it was that one of the guys I was calling the game with was from Cork, and had a very thick Cork accent. It was really hard to fully understand his questions to me, and I was just hoping and praying my answers made some kind of sense!"

With multiple season under her belt, Shields finds that she thrives off the energy that comes from each and every matchup, and since the game is always evolving, she consistently has the opportunity to learn while on the job.

Furthermore, she can relate to both players and coaches which sets her apart from others in a similar broadcasting position.

"I've been on both sides, and I appreciate and respect the hard work it takes to get to this point in their careers," said Shields. "I understand the emotion – the pain of a loss, the excitement of a comeback, the frustration of an off shooting night, the incredible feeling of winning as a team. Those are emotions I still feel when watching and/or calling a game, and makes me love the job even more."

Broadcasting is still far from easy because of the intricacies that it possesses. Commentators need to be deliberate while making sure that they are giving a factual analysis with accurate information.

"You have to be mentally tough, and if you mess up a call, you better be ready to move onto the next play," said Shields. "There's constantly more information to consume, so you have to have the drive to get better. I cringed after listening to myself in my first few games, but I know, after years of watching my own mistakes on the court, you have to assess your performance to improve."

While she is continuously improving and learning, Shields feels fortunate to be doing so at her alma mater. Boston College is a place that she fell in love with and it is showing that it loves her back by giving her the opportunity to do something that has means a great deal to her.

"It's hard not to be biased during games, because I really do love working closely with both the men's and women's teams, and want them to succeed," she said. "Seeing where the school, and all of the athletic programs, are heading first hand is really special."

Doing this job gives Shields the chance to still be a part of a team – something that she watched her mother, Maureen, do for St. Joseph's University as a color commentator when she was younger. Shields cites her mom as her biggest role model.

"Because of women like her, and other role models of mine like Doris Burke and Beth Mowins, the way is paved for greater opportunities for women in sports," said Shields. "In the male-dominated world of sports, they have helped break barriers for women, and that's something I aspire to do and take on in my future."

Shields wants to see where this path could take her in the future, though she still feel feels that she has a lot to work on. She intends to bring the same competitiveness and passion to the career that she felt on the court.

Because she sometimes still wants to put on her jersey and hit the court again in the competitive setting of collegiate basketball, Shields still makes the time to play ball.

"I still play pick-up games at the gym I go to, and I shoot around any time I get the chance," said Shields. "I sometimes sneak in after practice to get some shots up on the gun. I'll always be a gym rat, and it's where I feel at home. I'm forever grateful for all that my sport has given to me, and I hope to continue to share my passion with others."

From Hardwood to Headphones, Shields Shines

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