Feature Interview: Lauren Sisler

Lauren Sisler joined the CBS 42 sports team in September of 2011.  As a native of Roanoke, Virginia and Giles County, Lauren Sisler was introduced to the Virginia Tech Hokies and Washington Redskins at an early age. Also kin to the Hall of Fame baseball player George Sisler, Lauren quickly learned that sports was part of being a Sisler.

She was enrolled in the sport of gymnastics at the age of 3 at Roanoke Academy and very quickly found out that was "her sport." At the age of 9, she had worked her way up to Level 10 where she competed for 8 years before earning a scholarship to compete for Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. As a Scarlet Knight and co-captain of the gymnastics team, Lauren earned several accolades including the Nobel Award and N4A Wilma Rudolph Student Athlete Achievement Award.

In 2006, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and then the pursuit of a sports broadcasting career began. She decided to learn the television business from the ground up, starting as a freelancer at CNBC, then moving back to her hometown station, WDBJ7, where she was a photographer and editor. From there she signed on with WTAP in Parkersburg, West Virginia where she had the opportunity to cover a multitude of high school and college teams on both sides of the Ohio River.

Editor's Note by Stan J. Griffin: I have quickly gotten to be friends with Channel 42's Lauren Sisler in a very short time, and I cannot thank her enough for the wonderful help she gave me for The Sports Connection. She has a very interesting story to tell about the journey which led her to Birmingham, and her own background in general. Although she loses some points for being a Washington Redskins fan (just kidding!), she does a great job as part of the Channel 42 sports crew, and she obviously put a lot into the interview that I was able to recently complete with her. I have no doubt you will find her story interesting and fun to read. 
 

THE SPORTS CONNECTION: I know that you are a native of Virginia. Talk a little about your journey which eventually led you to Channel 42 in Birmingham.

LAUREN SISLER: I have spent a lot of my adult life jumping around from city to city thanks to this profession. I must say I wouldn't have it any other way!  After I graduated from Rutgers University with a Communications degree in 2006, I was offered a freelance job at CNBC. As a technical associate, I spent a year honing my prompter operating skills for big money names like Maria Bartiromo and Dylan Ratigan. But that was only scratching the surface. It was at CNBC that I was ultimately introduced to the world of television and it just so happened I got a behind the scenes look on the network level. In 2007, I realized it was time to get my hands on a camera and start producing some of my own work. I accepted a position in my hometown of Roanoke, Virginia at WDBJ7. There I spent two years as a photographer and editor and eventually got the opportunity to do some sports reporting. That experience led me to my next job in Parkersburg, West Virginia where I primarily covered local high school sports. I spent two years at WTAP as the weekend sports anchor and reported during the week. Two solid years of that experience landed me here at CBS 42 in Birmingham.

TSC: You also come from some famous bloodlines. Talk about a certain Hall of Famer in your immediate family.

LS: George Harold Sisler, aka "Gorgeous George" is in fact my great great great uncle. My father actually was named after him and had plenty of stories to tell from his childhood including the one when he allowed an autographed wooden game bat given to him by George Sisler to dry rot by the creek (later he always regretted that). I'll never forget the day I was in St. Louis for a gymnastics meet. The day before the competition we took a tour of the city and there I was, admiring Busch Stadium, not paying attention to where I was walking and literally ran right into his statue. From that day on, I understood just how big of a deal my bloodline really was!

TSC: You were also an athlete yourself from a pretty early age. Talk about your early involvement in sports such as gymnastics.

LS: I was practically a gymnast from the day I was born. Once I was old enough to walk and keep my balance, I was bouncing all over the furniture in the house. My mom had had enough of rushing me to the hospital to get stitches. She found the solution.  Gymnastics! I started at the age of 3 at Roanoke Academy, quickly advanced, and by age ten I was a level 10 gymnast competing on the national level. While putting in 20 plus hours a week, I quickly realized my dream was to earn a scholarship and compete on the collegiate level. That is where Chrystal Norton and the Scarlet Knights came into play. When I got the offer I ran with it. I was part of the RU family and it was incredible!  Now like any sport, you always have your wins and losses.  For me personally I also had to deal with some trying times that included a fractured femur, a severe back injury, and several torn ligaments in my ankle but every tear shed and every ounce of pain was absolutely worth it. I was living my dream as a Division 1 scholarship gymnast.  It was an experience of a lifetime (that experience also included a National Championship in our division in 2005) that will be part of who I am forever.

TSC: Talk about the adjustment of getting familiar with sports in Alabama and the intensity of sports fans in the state. Obviously I know you were already familiar with the SEC and the tradition of Alabama football and things such as that.

LS: Let's just say I have experienced something that I haven't seen ANYWHERE else! I spent my college career watching our football team go from a 1-11 record to their first bowl game my senior year. That was truly a neat experience to be part of the rise of the Rutgers football program (don't forget Rutgers played in the first ever college football game back in 1869, now that's history!). Post Rutgers, I spent time covering the ACC between Virginia Tech and UVA and later more Big East with West Virginia. But little did I know my next move would be right into the "sports empire" of the world. The traditions of the SEC speaks for itself. You have to be here right in the middle of it all to really understand it.

TSC: So I guess it would still be safe to say that your main loyalty is with the Washington Redskins that you've always followed and the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Do you still keep up with both intensely?

LS: Very safe to say. I grew up in a household that all agreed on one thing, that was sports and the Redskins. Of course, I was born in the 80s and that was when they were in their prime. This season I became a big RG3 fan like the rest of the Redskins nation. As for Rutgers, I wear my Scarlet pride on my sleeve. You know they always say "No cheering in the press box." When Rutgers is playing, I always have that game pulled up on my phone or computer and let's just say I tend to break that rule. Of course, I am the only one cheering (or throwing my hands up on a bad play). Most of the other media folks who know me by now, say "oh Rutgers must be playing!" and I give them an update whether they ask for it or not.

TSC: You started with CBS 42 at a pretty good time in terms of excitement with teams in your viewing area, especially getting an opportunity to help cover national championship teams in several sports and also some major high school championship events here. Talk about that and if that has been overwhelming at all or just really exciting.

LS: I always like to say "I got thrown into the fire" when I started work here at CBS42. Imagine being new and in unfamiliar territory and starting day 1 on September 1st. Yea, that is right in the heart of it all! At that point it was sink or swim, and forget about any life preservers. It was game on, and things really haven't let up since.  After spending a year here, I have gotten acclimated to this area, the geography, and have a better idea of what to expect.  But the saying still stands true here in this business, "always expect the unexpected!"

TSC: What have you enjoyed covering most since you've arrived in Birmingham, or is it just a combination of everything?

LS: It would be really hard to pinpoint a particular sport or team that I have enjoyed covering the most. Of course, having great gymnastics to watch here is a plus, I have always been a "football" girl, and I grew up around racing.  I've been fortunate to cover just about every college and high school in the area and have grown to respect every team. Still waiting on my first National Championship assignment though!

TSC: What have been just your immediate observations about the intense love of college football in this state, and are Alabama and Auburn fans as crazy as you imagined they would be, in a good way of course.

LS: Immediate observation: WOW, these fans are passionate and love their football! It's great though. I absolutely respect it. When you have good football and the talent runs deep, it's hard not to get amped up on game day.  I start my work week on Friday, so for me it's like Monday but I can assure you it doesn't feel like it. I wake up on Friday morning knowing that I am going to be spending the next two days out on the sidelines. That isn't work, that is pure adrenaline!

TSC: Who have been some of your main "go-to" people at the station or maybe just in the city that have helped you get well versed on things that you may not have known about football and other sports in the state.

LS: There are several people that I credit for "taking me under their wing." Really the entire sports department (Patrick Claybon, Alex Corddry, Jim Dunaway, Chris McCulley, BJ Millican) has kept me in check and taught me the x's and o's of sports in the deep south. It's a revolving door and you have to have knowledgeable people and resources to help keep you up on your game each and every day. I will also say that members from other television stations from around Birmingham and all over the state have really been a big help. Despite the thought of constant competition, we really try and work together and help each other out. We all have the same purpose and that is to give the athletes, coaches, and community the recognition they deserve.

TSC: I know there are ups and downs at every job, and I know it's definitely true at a television station when it comes to deadlines and editorial meetings and things such as that, but how would you describe the atmosphere at CBS 42 and specifically with the sports staff. It seems on the air that you guys are a fairly close-knit group.

LS: That is very true. Every work environment comes with its ups and down but I think this is where "team" comes into play. We all strive to produce the best product. When one thing tanks, so does everything else and we are all in it together. We all work very hard every day including tireless hours spent late at night, on the weekends, and on the holidays. It isn't always glamorous but the end product is always rewarding.

TSC: Is there any part of your job that you enjoy the most, whether it be anchoring or actually being there on the sidelines or on the court?

LS: I enjoy different facets of my job for different reasons. I love being on the anchor desk. It allows me to take center stage and give my best shot. But being out in the field is fun too because I get to show a little more personality and soak in the environment. They both come with the adrenaline rush in their own way. The day I lose that I guess will be the day I say it is time to hang it up. I don't see that happening anytime soon!

TSC: Have there been any reporters or sports personalities that have served as main influences/mentors for you, whether it be men or women, and are there a few that you can name that you really enjoy watching today, also whether it be men or women?

LS: I think my closest mentors are the ones that have believed in me from Day 1. I have to start with my parents. They molded me into who I am today and even though their physical presence can't be seen or heard, their spirit lives through me each and every day of my life.  My Aunt Linda and Uncle Mike have kept me afloat.  My brother Allen is my go to guy for everything sports.  Then you have people like Mike Stevens who basically roped me into sports at WDBJ7 and told me that I would go places. My sports director at WTAP, Jim Wharton, showed me how it's done and convinced me it was okay to have a bad day. And then my countless friends have always supported me.  All of the times I had to pass up vacations, weddings, and going out on the weekends, they have been behind me 100%. Nobody has given up on me and nobody has allowed me to give up. Ultimately I have God to thank for all of the blessings in my life.

TSC: There has been a major increase in women sports anchors, reporters and analysts during the past decade or so. Is this something that has surprised you at all, or was it something that maybe you expected to maybe see a lot more of once more women journalists simply got the opportunity to show what they could do?

LS: It doesn't come as a surprise. I think it is the direction society is going. Women have always played an inferior role but now more than ever we have the opportunity to step up and level the playing field. Like anything else, it is a battle, but I think you will find that if you put in the work and build your credibility then people are going to respect that.

TSC: Are you hoping to stay mainly in the reporting/anchoring role for the most part or would you also like to maybe cross over at some point and maybe even do some other things such as writing.

LS: I absolutely love what I do now. I have worked very hard to get here and plan to continue growing and building what I have started. Where the road called "My Life" takes me though has yet to be revealed. I think that is the beauty of it. You don't really know when a door will open and an opportunity will be on the other side. I lost both of my parents at the age of 18 to prescription drug addiction. Unfortunately their pain was far too great and their reliance on medication won the battle. My parents though were two wonderful, loving people that have inspired me to stand up and make a difference. Now almost ten years later, I have a mission to make an impact on the growing problem of prescription drug addiction that our society faces. With that said, I hope to use the skills I have attained throughout my television career to be an active voice and to raise awareness to this devastating epidemic.

TSC: Are you loving life in the sports-crazed state that is Alabama, and maybe just list a few of the highlights you've experienced so far, in terms of events you've been able to cover and maybe even stories you've been able to do.

LS: Life is great here in Alabama. I don't think I could have picked a better place to continue growing my career (or perhaps Birmingham picked me). Some highlights that stand out to me are the 20 hour Saturdays spent covering college football. The trips to different college campuses. The great people and fans I've met along the way. Even the local high school tournaments are a thrill. Watching these young athletes develop and strive to get to that next level is so exciting. I was once there and it is great to see that drive and determination being duplicated by so many talented student-athletes in this area.

TSC: At what age did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in journalism, and has sports always been your main love?

LS: Now it's time to go way back again! I actually grew up with aspirations of being a sports doctor. I always had it in my mind I wanted to work with athletes. That vision never changed. After losing my parents my freshman year in college, I spent a lot of time figuring out who I really was and what I wanted to make of my life. I am outgoing, love being around people, and enjoy telling people stories. My passion for sports came into play, and there it was right in front of me. Sports Broadcasting. Here I am, now nine years later, living my dream!