Star Tribune Jr Reporter

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As soon as we arrived backstage, I felt shocked. I had never been behind the scenes of the Target Center. There was an odd sensation of feeling like I was in a place where I shouldn’t be but as soon as we got those media passes, all that nervousness sort of went away. I had never been to a basketball game, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to enjoy my night as a potential new fan as well as a reporter.

When we got our passes and were about to begin a tour, I saw a person running saying, “I’m not late!” In my mind I thought it was maybe a player or a staff member until we turned the corner, and I saw that it had actually been the Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders, who was running to catch up with an interview with the press.

Immediately we were thrown into being reporters. Once, we had finished the interview, we were taken to another part backstage where a backdrop had been set up for the Sacramento Kings coach Dave Joerger’s interview, so reporters could get his side of the story.

While we waited for him to show up, I felt like the nerves kind of hit me once again. There was a feeling of shock within me realizing that I was meeting all these incredible people, and it was all because I loved journalism. Another thing that surprised me while hearing the coaches and the players speak was how incredibly quiet they were while talking to the reporters.

While we kept walking around seeing all the backstage areas, I felt oddly comfortable being there, seeing the players on the court practicing and how the court for the first time was surreal. There was a feeling of awe and amazement, observing how everything was coming together and it looked amazing.

About a half hour before the game began we had the opportunity to have a reporter meal, and it was so nice to just take a breather and talk to Aaron Seehusen and Joanna Stang about how they got into their careers and mentioned our future plans for college.

Then before I knew it, we were being led to our press seats, where we were going watch the game. I felt so important at that moment, and the game began.

It was a fast start, in my opinion. The game started with the Sacramento Kings leading, but it didn’t last long. Something that I found different than most other sports was seeing how much crowd involvement enhanced the game. It was wild. I wasn’t used to seeing that much crowd engagement, but it was interesting seeing the different types of fans all around.

By halftime, I felt very drowsy and worried about where the Timberwolves were going to end up. Suddenly it felt like something began to turn as the Timberwolves solidified their lead and secured 112-105 victory. 

After the game, I had the opportunity to talk to Karl-Anthony Towns and Tyus Jones in the locker room.

I asked them what their weeks would consist of before their next game. Towns said, “It’s always about getting back to your rhythm…I’m gonna do the same exact thing as I did before, working on my game, getting massages, doing little things.”

Being in the locker rooms, I could feel a vibe of how everything just felt chilled out, and the players just relaxing after a win.

Jones said he planned to just play with his dog and spend time with his family between games.

After we were dismissed and leaving the backstage, I felt like it was a complete dream. There had been so many first times in one night, when it felt strange. I had never been really into sports, but there was a part of me that felt that basketball was something I want to follow.

The experience felt so unique, and I am so thankful I met all the people I did on that night as well as all the people who made that special night possible.  

 Heidi Sanchez is a senior at Hiawatha Collegiate High School and a ThreeSixty Journalism student who is considering attending the University of St. Thomas in fall 2019. 

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Star Tribune Jr. Reporter | My First Wolves Game Was Exciting and a Little Intimidating as a Reporter

How many people can actually say that they’ve been court side of a professional NBA team? Or even in the locker rooms? Better yet, have interviewed a professional basketball player? 

This was me and two other ThreeSixty students, who got to go on Monday, February 25, to cover the Minnesota Timberwolves game against the Sacramento Kings.

Personally, basketball is one of my favorite sports, so to watch these players play and meet some of them is insane.

I interviewed All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and asked him what it was like to get back after spending some time on the sidelines. Town was in a car crash a few days before and missed the Milwaukee game.

“I knew things were going to be different,” Towns said.

He explained how he tried to find his “rhythm” by being aggressive.

I asked Tyus Jones, who is from Minnesota and attend high school in Apple Valley, how he keeps his head in the game. He had some big plays that night.

“Try to stay calm,” Jones said. “…Ryan (Saunders), our coach, gives me a lot of confidence to play free and not worry about messing up. So when you’re free and just playing, it’s easy to make plays. I give a lot of credit to our coach for that, but it takes some time, you know, in late game situations are super competitive. You have to stay as even keel as possible.”

I learned a lot about what it is to be a journalist and to be with these players in everyday life when talking to Star Tribune Timberwolves beat reporter Chris Hine.

He talked about how critical thinking to investing part of your life on the road are all part of the job. It really takes a lot to be a journalist, which is something I learned from this experience. 

I’m used to seeing everything on TV, but in person, it just left me in awe because everything that you’re seeing on TV at home, there’s a lot of people behind that.

This experience was definitely worth everything, and I would do it again. Not only because of the many perks but seeing the diversity of jobs. You’re exposed to different work environments, which for me after attending this event, will help me choose my career path and narrow it down. 

Jesse Ordoñez-Saybe is a senior at Roseville Area High School and a ThreeSixty Journalism student who is considering attending the University of St. Thomas in fall 2019. 

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Star Tribune Jr. Reporter | Timberwolves Game Left Me In Awe Of Possibilities

Growing up, basketball has always been a passion of mine. Being able to play with my friends and build memories with them was the best. I was not always the best player, but it did not stop me from striving to improve myself.   

Being able to go to the Timberwolves game and experience the life of a sports reporter was amazing. It took my love of basketball to a whole new level. Getting to see what goes into behind the scenes of writing a game story or broadcasting the game on live TV was eye-opening.   

I never knew that so much went into making sure that the game story was perfect or that all the camera angles were correct. 

I got to experience what it was like to participate in the pregame interviews, post-game interviews and player interviews.   

I also learned how competitive it was being a sports reporter. There were many reporters walking around asking questions left and right and trying to get the best story. 

My favorite part of the experience was that I got the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Tyus Jones, Derrick Rose, and the player who I was most excited to meet, Karl-Anthony Towns.   

As someone who plays big man themselves, I was extremely excited to meet him. He was named an All-Star, and he was amazing in the game. I asked him what it was like to be named an All-Star.

He said, “It was great. I went through a lot of things, not just in basketball but in my personal life, and to come out and find a way to succeed at a high level throughout the first part of the season meant a lot.”

He continued, “It was good man, it felt good, man, it felt real good to be picked, not by my friends, but by my peers that I respect.”

I admire him so much because he is a hard worker and that work shows in the games. Getting to meet my idol and experience the Timberwolves game as a journalist has changed my life. 

Hopefully, I will be able to have this experience again but as a sports reporter.

Brendan Thor is a senior at Harding High School and a ThreeSixty Journalism student who is considering attending the University of St. Thomas in fall 2019. 

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Star Tribune Jr. Reporter | The Experience Of A Lifetime

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Growing up in Minneapolis, I know what a Minnesota Timberwolves game day looks like. The rumbling seats, massive overhead lights warming center court, echoing howls from fans intimidating opposing players at the foul line -- the fan atmosphere at the Target Center is unmistakable.

For most fans, March 28, 2018 marked a momentous night in Timberwolves history when Karl Anthony-Towns set the franchise’s all-time record for points scored in a single game. But for me, it was even more. It was metamorphic practice towards becoming a professional journalist -- a goal I’ve had since I was in eighth grade.

As part of the youth journalism experience created through a partnership with ThreeSixty Journalism and the Minnesota Timberwolves, I and a young ThreeSixty alumna were able to get a backstage look at what it takes as a media member to cover the Timberwolves.

Phone-recorder in hand and laminated press pass around my neck, I spent the day with complete media access for interviewing players, which included locker room access, pregame interviews, and a seat at the post-game press conference

Wow. I was closer than I could have imagined. Everything was better. Nearer. More vivid.

As the day wore on, having big-time Timberwolves players like Derrick Rose and Towns pass right by me down the arena halls became more natural. In just a few short hours I was getting the hang of it -- as a journalist, you hang around until the moment comes to make something unique into a side note. Then you turn that side note into a piece of a larger puzzle; once you get enough of those, you start to put together a story.

Normally, the wild reactions from Timberwolves fans shouting, “MVP! MVP!” in response to Towns’ performance would be what stuck most in my mind. On March 28, though, it’s the lessons I learned from the Timberwolves public relations staff, beat journalists and radio broadcasters covering the event, plus the reality that I took a Towns-sized step forward in my understanding of sports-journalism, that will last me a lifetime.

Zekriah Chaudhry is a senior at Minneapolis South High and will attend the University of St. Thomas as a ThreeSixty Journalism Scholar beginning in fall 2018.

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2017-18 Star Tribune Jr. Reporter | Witnessing History

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As a ThreeSixty Journalism alumni and current college student with interests in social media and photography, I leaped at the opportunity of photographing the Timberwolves game and the chance of getting a behind the scenes look.

My first takeaway was meeting Jerry Zgoda, a Star Tribune sport journalist, who shared with us his work experience and great advice on growing up and the world we may experience.

As we headed down the escalators to the restricted access at Target Center, I couldn’t wait to see what was going on underneath all the cheers, crowd and excitement. When the game began, we were seated at the press section, which gave us a good view of the game and a great opportunity to witness the social media strategist and journalists in front of us.

I was quickly absorbed in the digital media world surrounding me by the social media team. In front of me was a blog writer who was using GIFs to tell the story of the game. I thought that was remarkable and witty, and it certainly piqued my interest! Seeing that also helped me discover the wide range of careers that are present in the NBA.

During halftime, we walked back to the media room, where we were greeted with fresh marble cake and light snacks. While the cake was rich, the conversation was richer. The Timberwolves staff welcomed us in and although we were guests, we felt very comfortable being there. We took a few photos to monument this experience and headed back to watch the rest of the game.

While things began wrapping up, it seemed obvious to all of us that the Timberwolves were going to win this one. We then walked towards the conference rooms, which allowed us to get an idea of what questions sport journalists typically ask to help write their articles.

This experience not only helped me get the insight of what a real sport journalist would work like, but it also taught me about the definition of work and how subjective it really was.

My overall takeaway is the game of basketball doesn’t only consist of basketball players and a referee. There are many different people working behind the scenes to make sure families at home and people all over the country can enjoy a game they love.

Louisa Akoto is graphic design and communication studies major at Augsburg University

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2017-18 Star Tribune Jr. Reporter | A Day in the Life of a Sports Journalist

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