COVID-19 Closeup: Rod Mawhood
COVID-19 Closeup
Subject: Rod Mawhood, host Niagara Sports Report, professional public address announcer.
What would you be doing now if the pandemic hadn’t hit? Announcing lacrosse, basketball and baseball.
What are you doing now? Still hosting my radio show and writing feature stories here and there.
What is the biggest obstacle to doing your job during the pandemic? Not being on site with coaches and players to request interviews in person.
What do you miss the most about the pre-pandemic world of sports? The excitement of hearing and seeing the fans — getting them hyped!
What do you miss the least about the pre-pandemic world of sports? Pros (millionaires) arguing over money!!
What is the biggest thing wrong with amateur sports that you can reveal without getting fired or demoted for your honesty? Parents living their dream through their children.
Is there an easy way to fix the problem? COVID-19 could potentially eradicate some of the problem by not letting parents in the arena (using hockey as an example).
Is there a hard way to fix the problem? Banning parents from sporting events.
What would be one suggestion to make sports better? I think in some ways it’s already being done in some sports at some levels, but every child should be given the opportunity to try the sport they want to.
What is the first thing you are going to do when life returns to normal? Hopefully travel.
What daily activity do you miss the most? The deadlines, preparation and urgency that surrounds my job.
What guilty pleasure do you miss the most? Some superstitions I have.
What is your favourite outfit to wear around the house if you are working from home? Hoodie and hat.
What do you do to replace the time spent working? Spending time with my girlfriend.
Are you mostly likely to be a hunk, chunk, drunk or Sasquatch when the pandemic ends? Hunk and chunk.
What is the worst habit you have picked up during the pandemic? Whistling (according to my girlfriend).
What is the best habit you have picked up during the pandemic? Spending more time with my girlfriend.
What is something good about yourself you have discovered during the pandemic? That I can relax when needed and if given the opportunity.
What is something bad about yourself you have discovered during the pandemic? I should be exercising and eating better.
In the weeks ahead, BPSN is hoping to get people in Niagara’s sporting community to share their COVID Closeups. If you want to volunteer, shoot Bill or I a text. You have our numbers.
BPSN and the COVID-19 pandemic
Like all small businesses dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, BPSN is not sure what the business landscape will look like when things return to normal. Our website is financed primarily through advertising revenues and partnership agreements with many local sports and educational organizations in Niagara. Our goal is to continue providing our readers with the extensive local sports coverage you have come to expect from our site. Since our inception, we have written more than 2,800 stories on our local athletes and teams. Many of our readers have given us one-time donations or send us monthly contributions to help offset our costs. We would be eternally grateful if others would consider doing the same by using the Support Us button located on the right-hand side of our home page below the mosaic.
Thank you for your continued support.
Bill and Bernie.
