By Karlie Carlson
Servite High School Athletics was honored to welcome USC Sports Information Director, Tim Tessalone and adjunct professor from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Jeff Fellenzer to campus Tuesday, September 25, 2012. Tessalone and Fellenzer spoke to student-athletes representing 13 sports about press etiquette and social media expectations.
As a college preparatory high school, it is the goal of Servite to prepare student-athletes both on and off the field of play. The objective of this presentation was to equip student-athletes with the tools necessary to interact with the press and to responsibly utilize social media. Student-athletes learned how to prepare for press conferences, promote themselves through social media and build a positive relationship with the media; all skills that will be beneficial as they move to the college ranks.
Tessalone and Fellenzer spoke about the importance of being humble, smart and respectful when dealing with your teammates, coaches and the media. “It is easy to talk in good times, but fans see your character in times of adversity,” said Tessalone.
“We are thankful that representatives from such a prestigious university took the time to talk with our young men about the importance of leadership, social media expectations and how to positively deal with the media,” said Servite High School President, Pete Bowen ’82.
Student-athletes filled the Servite Theatre as they were given real-life examples of how to positively promote themselves to the media. “I now feel prepared for any situation thrown at me. I know how to protect myself and my brand in the future,” said Matthew Beaird, Baseball, Class of ’15.
Tim Tessalone has served USC for 33 years, starting in 1979. He is the head of the Sports Information Department. He is the main block between the media and big named athletes while at USC, like Carson Palmer, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Barkley. He also gives coaches and athletes guidance on how to behave in media situations, press conferences, and how to manage social networking.
Jeff Fellenzer is a sports entrepreneur who has more than three decades of experience in the sports business and media world. Fellenzer currently serves USC Athletics as a communications consultant focusing on social media awareness and media training. Fellenzer also is a Heisman Trophy voter, one of only 43 people in California who cast ballots each season for college football’s most prestigious award.
