Contained in the Sales space: Troy Clardy’s rise to Stanford’s play-by-play announcer

Most individuals begin getting ready for a job after they’re formally supplied a place. 

However not Stanford alum Troy Clardy ’97, who was ready to name the Cardinal’s first soccer sport in opposition to Hawaii this season earlier than he was supplied play-by-play announcer function for Stanford soccer and males’s basketball. 

“I began prepping for the season-opener simply in case I received the gig,” Clardy stated. “Preparation is a unending course of.”

Clardy acquired a cellphone name in August and was formally supplied the function. 

“Stanford’s a particular place, and rather a lot went into having that diploma on my wall,” Clardy stated. “Getting that cellphone name to get the provide for the job was really particular and a end result of a dream come true.”

For individuals who have listened to Clardy, his pleasure and excessive vitality are amongst his most well-known attributes. In-person, it could be troublesome to seek out Clardy with out a cheerful expression on his face. However behind the veteran sportscaster’s beaming smile is a resolute particular person, who has earned his stripes within the cutthroat business of sports activities broadcasting.

To long-time followers of Stanford athletics, Clardy is a well-recognized identify. The broadcaster spent the higher a part of three a long time offering constant protection for Stanford males’s and girls’s sports activities, together with stints at San Francisco radio stations KTCT and KTRB.

He additionally contributed with play-by-play commentary for the Pac-12 community and hosted TreeCast since 2015, a podcast which incorporates commentary, evaluation and unique interviews for Stanford sports activities followers.

His deep-rooted connection to Stanford sports activities extends again to his undergraduate years, the place he received his begin in sports activities broadcasting calling soccer and baseball video games for KZSU, Stanford’s FM radio station. Because of the efficiency of each the soccer and baseball groups, Clardy was capable of present commentary on vital video games whilst a younger grownup.

“By the point I graduated I had performed a Liberty Bowl, a Solar Bowl and a Faculty World Collection,” Clardy stated. “There are lots of people who could be on this business and never be lucky sufficient to name occasions on that scale.”

Earlier than committing to broadcasting, Clardy had deliberate to change into an architect. Nonetheless, one sport modified his profession trajectory.

Through the 1995 season, the Cardinal have been huge underdogs after they hit the street to play the Oregon Geese, who had simply come off a Rose Bowl season. Head coach Tyrone Willingham was an unknown determine on the time. 

“No person gave Stanford an opportunity of going as much as Eugene, Oregon and getting it performed,” Clardy stated. “Oregon’s quarterback throws three interceptions and Marlon Evans ’96 takes a kickoff for a landing and Stanford finally ends up successful 28-21.”

The fun of calling an upset victory prompted Clardy to re-evaluate his profession: “I bear in mind being on the aircraft, heading again with the crew and considering ‘This feels fairly cool!’ … Let’s see what number of instances I can get this sense.’”

After graduating from Stanford, Clardy landed a job on the Stanford radio community, the place he coated soccer and males’s basketball. Clardy additionally has intensive expertise working in sports activities speak radio, internet hosting reveals within the Bay Space and Pittsburgh, and even working for different nationally syndicated broadcasts like ESPN Radio. 

Clardy’s ascent throughout the broadcast discipline is definitely no shock to his media colleagues. “Troy is right down to earth, proficient and versatile,” wrote Bryan Fenley, a sportscaster with Fox Sports activities Radio and ESPN. “All of these traits, I consider, are what’s going to result in success on this business.”

However along with these qualities, Clardy possesses an inordinate work ethic, maybe a very powerful trait of all. This features a means of meticulous preparation to present massive sports activities moments the suitable weight and time. 

For Clardy, the prep course of for every sport often includes doing in-depth analysis on crew rosters, speaking with coaches and watching prior video games. 

Clardy described the method as a survey of the 45 to 50 gamers he expects to see. “I’ll undergo the biography they’ve on the varsity web site and likewise attempt to get tales and information clips from native media,” Clardy stated.

He additionally watches earlier video games to “get an concept of personnel and scheme.”

The dedication to bringing high-quality broadcasts for the viewer is one shared by Clardy and Stanford colour analyst John Platz ’83 J.D. ’89 MBA ’89. 

“I’ve loved the primary few broadcasts that Troy and I’ve labored collectively as Stanford’s radio crew. We have now been acquaintances for a few years; he has the identical excessive commonplace that I do so far as placing out a high quality on-air product,” Platz wrote. “These useful commonalities translate to an pleasing in-booth expertise for every of us and — because of this — a very good listening expertise for our radio viewers.” 

All through his profession, Clardy has documented a number of the most enjoyable moments in Stanford athletics historical past, just like the 1998 Remaining 4 run and the streak of BCS bowls the Cardinal went to within the early 2010s. He — and plenty of in his group — hope he can seize many extra.