Media Training - Wendy Burch Communications

Wendy Burch Communications provides Professional Media Training designed specifically to meet the needs of the Professional Athlete. This exclusive private coaching is offered by Wendy Burch, a working professional in the broadcast industry, with an in depth understanding of the challenges—as well as the opportunities—presented to professional athletes. Her training program is designed to be 'active' and presented in terms easily understood by today's pro athletes. By remembering a few rules and having a game plan, our athletes will gain the ability to come out a winner anytime the microphone comes into play.

T E A M M E E T I N G
To help you ‘Get the Game Plan'—we've designed a media training session that can accommodate ALL of your players—ALL at the same time! We call it our "Team Meeting".

It all plays out within one 90 MINUTE period.

We gather your players together for a fast-paced, comprehensive media training session. For your veteran players—this is an opportunity for them to brush up on the fundamentals to be better prepared for oncoming ‘All-Star' media attention. For your rookies—this is a chance for them to learn the right way to ‘play ball' with the media.

We teach your players media skills—and run them thru some interview drills. We give our athletes ‘inside' information about reporters so they can learn to beat the press at their own game. We also teach them some smart ‘defensive plays'—so they can better handle the tough questions and learn to talk their way out of trouble.

We also believe the 'tale of the tape' can speak volumes—so we incorporate professionally produced video presentations—providing valuable examples of what to say—and what not to say.

In addition, every player in attendance will be given a useful printed 'Media Guide'—highlighting everything that was covered in the team meeting—and more!

R O O K I E T R A I N I N G
Our Rookie Training Program was created specifically to address the needs of young athletes coming into their respective leagues and facing the pressures of the media for the first time. These seminars are designed to teach media skills to a number of athletes, and are ideal for accommodating the needs of a professional team or sports management agency. The one-day seminars provide a media overview, and teaches fundamental skills to help an athlete better manage the media, while improving the image of both the individual, and the team he represents.

Mock interviews and group discussions will take place during the course of this entertaining and interactive group session. Video presentations, providing valuable examples, will also be implemented within the instruction, and useful printed reference material—presented in the form of a ‘Media Guide’—will be distributed to the athletes in attendance.

The length of the Group Training Seminars, as well as the scope of material covered, will be specifically designed to meet the objectives of the client. The cost of a Group Training session is variable, and will be negotiated between Wendy Burch Communications and the client, depending on length of session and number of athletes participating. The location of the seminar will be the responsibility of the client.

A L L - S T A R O P P O R T U N I T Y
Our All-Star Opportunity program offers private coaching designed specifically for athletes who have ‘come into their game' and need individual coaching to meet increased media pressures and demands. All-Star private coaching also teaches the athlete ways to capitalize on their celebrity and become more attractive to sponsors.

All-Star coaching can be scheduled to work around the players availability. Although one-day sessions are available, a comprehensive training package is recommended for those athletes serious about improving their media skills.

Comprehensive All-Star coaching begins by assessing the impression an athlete is currently making in the press—both locally and nationally. Using her skills from more than a decade of reporting, Wendy Burch turns the questions on members of the press who interact with the athlete, in order to determine the current impression an athlete is making with the media and what image he's currently projecting. This valuable feedback will be compiled into a Scouting Report for the athlete to review.

The All-Star Opportunity program is comprehensive, but designed to be easy to understand. The techniques taught will be simple to remember and the learning environment will be relaxed and enjoyable. To better recognize areas of concern —and to monitor progress—each session will include a mock interview. These interviews are specifically designed to prepare the athlete for the toughest questions in a variety of interview environments

C O A C H I N G T H E C O A C H
Think about it... during the course of any season, a major league coach or manager is scheduled for several hundred public speaking engagements. Before the game, after the game, pre-season, off-season—the demand to hear what the coach has to say never stops.

The media must speak to the manager or coach, but they choose to show favoritism to those coaches who are truly quotable. Our Coaching the Coach program assists major league coaches, as well as assistant coaches, to carefully craft their message and to speak in efficient sound bites. Through our training, coaches will learn to deliver quick, concise comments—helping to guarantee their countless interviews can be conducted more efficiently. Our time-saving techniques will expedite the interview and get the coach back to the business of actually coaching the team… instead of spending so much time just talking about it!

Our training will also 'coach the coach' on ways to avoid being misquoted in the press and will prepare the coach for crisis communications. Coaches will be made aware of the media tricks and traps often employed to inflame a situation or spark controversy. We will teach offensive as well as defensive interview techniques and will provide each coach with a Play Book they can relate to—one chalk-full of useful information about how to conduct themselves in every possible interview scenario.

F R O N T O F F I C E C O A C H I N G
Our Front Office Coaching Program is designed to train Sports Executives to be at the top of their game when they face the press. With the increasing media interest to know more about the person(s) behind the organization, members of any front office need to be prepared to clearly deliver their position on everything from high-stakes contract negotiations to hot-topic issues surrounding their sport.

Long gone are the days when team owners and members of the front-office were known as only shadowy figures who hovered from suites high above the action. Now, owners and executives alike, are often recognized as sports personalities who set the tone for the team's approach to winning.

However, with increased attention, comes increased scrutiny. Sports executives must be consciously aware of the image they are projecting at all times. Wendy Burch Communications helps executives clearly define the impression they are making in the media and works to assure that the image is a true reflection of the individual and consistent with the objectives of the organization.

Front Office Coaching will also improve all aspects of public speaking for the sports executive. Those who complete our training, will feel more comfortable addressing audiences, both large and small, in a variety of situations .