Every semester, students in speech classes at Western Kentucky University talk about their dream of working for ESPN, usually the boys as Sports Center anchors and the girls as Erin Andrews type sideline reporters.
Instead of sitting around dreaming, Zack Woodall is working in the trenches, building his broadcasting foundation by getting local and regional on-the-job experience while studying the craft at one of the nation's leading journalism schools.
The 2006 graduate of Logan County High School stay busy full-time, either studying at WKU, doing play-by-play on hometown station WRUS, taking listeners' calls on regional station WBGN, or working to pay his way through school at a Bowling Green eatery.

In recent weeks he has been heard calling games of the Lady Cougars and Cougars, doing color commentary on broadcasts of Russellville and Bowling Green teams, and co-hosting a high school sports radio program in Bowling Green. He did the play-by-play for the the Logan County Middle School Basketball Tournament finals. Adding to the fun was describing his childhood school, Chandlers, winning the boys championship. WRUS is offering CDs of his call of the championship games for sale.

His broadcast career began a couple of years ago when his dad, Andy Woodall, asked him to help with high school broadcasts on WRUS. Andy had been doing color commentary primarily until the legendary Lon Sosh had to take a medical break. When it became apparent that Sosh's health would not allow him to call games on a regular basis, Zack became a regular. This year he has been the play-by-play man for LCHS football and basketball while Andy has been filling the same role for his alma mater, Russellville.

Zack has switched his major at Western Kentucky University to broadcasting. In one of his classes at Western he met Eric Matthews, who is the play-by-play voice of Bowling Green High athletics on airwaves staple WBGN, 1340 AM. Matthews was doing a twice-weekly call-in show on WBGN. When his co-host, Nick Curren, went to Louisville for an audition, Eric asked Zack to fill in for one of the shows. "I didn't know it then, but that turned out to be an on-air audition for me," Woodall says. "Nick got the job broadcasting Bellarmine University games, and I was chosen to be his replacement."

The show "In the Stands" airs live each Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. and each Saturday from 9-10 a.m. Eric and Zack discuss high school games that have been played since the last show, and they preview what's coming up. Listeners call in with their comments and observations. "I love call-ins," Zack says simply. He responds with his own opinions.

Woodall has also done color commentary on Bowling Green High broadcasts, including huge games matching the Purples and fellow regional powers Warren Central and Greenwood. He will be involved in state tournament broadcasts, too.

Zack Woodall was a starting defensive back for the Logan County Cougars for four years, earning All-SKY honors; he also played freshman basketball at LCHS. He comes from a sports family. His dad, Andy, was the starting quarterback for what many observers consider Russellville's best football team ever, the 1983 state champions; he was also a member of the 1980 state championship team. Zack's grandmother, Ann Coffman, is a sister of Ken Smith, a former RHS football player whose sons and grandsons have been outstanding players for the Panthers.

Zack has worked countless hours in Bowling Green businesses since his high schools days ended. He was a successful full-time salesman for H H Gregg Appliances. "I was working over 40 hours a week and going to college, too," he says. "I knew if I was going to be successful in broadcasting, I couldn't keep working that much." Now with everything else he's doing, he is a service trainer for the Steak N Shake fast-food restaurant.

In addition to the broadcasting major, Woodall is minoring in sales and marketing, which could prove valuable in gaining financial support for sports ventures he organizes.

Basketball postseason begins this week. Zack Woodall will be in the middle of it, doing play-by-play, color commentary and call-in responses. He's building his broadcasting dream from the basics, and his foundation becomes firmer each week.