Byline: Jeff Bahr
Jul. 30--Gene Reich thought he would never broadcast another Northern State University game.
Reich finished a 17-year career as the Wolves' announcer in 1997. That year, he left KSDN, which was about to be purchased by Roberts Radio, and moved to KGIM. He later departed radio for a full-time job at Avera St. Luke's.
But over time, the unlikely sometimes becomes possible.
Last year, the Aberdeen Radio Ranch became the new owners of KSDN, and now Reich will be doing NSU games once again.
Though he's excited, Reich is also a little nervous about returning to the NSU microphone. 'I wish I could start right now,' he said. After missing eight seasons, he has a lot of work to do to get ready, he said.
The 54-year-old Reich has maintained a radio presence over the years doing Aberdeen Central and other high school games. He also appears on local cable TV.
On the Wolves' games, Reich will replace Rob Waltman.
Before Jeff Kilpatrick was hired late last year, the new owners of KSDN asked Waltman if he wanted to return to a full-time position. Waltman said no, which is when Kilpatrick was hired.
Waltman does not want to burn any bridges. But he had the feeling this past school year that Kilpatrick was going to take over his NSU broadcasting duties this coming year.
Hoping to hold onto part of his Northern duties, Waltman offered to let Kilpatrick broadcast NSU football and women's basketball if he could continue with NSU men's basketball. But when the decision was made to go with Kilpatrick entirely, Waltman accepted the decision and was reconciled to the idea of leaving radio, he said. He was planning to devote his full attention to his farm near Wetonka. He is also a partner in Aberdeen Carpet Cleaning and Duct Doctors.
But then in May, Kilpatrick resigned from KSDN.
At that time, Waltman says he entered into a verbal agreement with Aberdeen Radio Ranch general manager Brian Lundquist to return to NSU play by play. But he later received a call from Lundquist saying the station had decided to go in a different direction.
Waltman said that one issue in his dealings with KSDN was the amount of money he was being paid. Lundquist told him that the company wasn't making any money on NSU sports.
Lundquist backs up that point. 'There is no money being made on the university for sports,' he says. 'It's a misconception out there that you make a ton of money on doing sports broadcasts. The ton of money that goes into sports broadcasts is a lot, and we've committed a lot of money to Northern.'
When the Aberdeen Radio Ranch hired Kilpatrick, it was with the intention of having him help out with a lot of the sports work to cut down on costs, Lundquist said.
Take a look at Northern When Kilpatrick left, 'we decided we seriously better take a look at Northern and have somebody committed year-round,' Lundquist said.
The decision was a difficult one, Lundquist said. But since Waltman became a full-time farmer, Reich 'could commit to it more full-time I think than Rob could,' Lundquist said. Broadcasting NSU sports could be more of 'a year-round thing for Geno.' The station feels it's important to broadcast 'Wolves Midweek' during the summer, he said.
'I have all the praise in the world for Rob Waltman,' Lundquist said.
'He's always been an excellent play-by-play announcer.'
From his first year to his last year, Waltman made 'a world of improvement,' Lundquist said. 'And he ended up being a very talented play-by-play guy. Hopefully, he comes back into the industry.'
Waltman, 38, doesn't want to burn any bridges. 'If they want to move in a different direction, that's fine,' Waltman says.
But he says that in the eight years he broadcast NSU sports, the station turned a profit on Northern athletics each year. He also says that while he's busy during the summer, he has plenty of time during the school year.
In 10 years, Waltman broadcast 762 college and high school games. He also noted that he has won the South Dakota Associated Press Broadcaster Association play-by-play award four times in the five years it's been handed out.
Waltman is grateful to all the coaches he's worked with, including former NSU athletic director Jim Kretchman. 'They've all been great,' he said. He also thanks Mona Smith of Aberdeen Central, Northern sports information directors and NSU public address announcer Harry Jasinski.
He also appreciates the comments he's received from listeners.
'I did the best job I could, I had a lot of fun and I met a lot of nice people,' he said.
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