About Me
My name is Austin Caperton. I was born in Nashville, TN, the day after 9/11. I commonly use that as a fun fact about me even though it isn't fun. I am a junior at MTSU studying to attain my degree in Sports Media. I am also minoring in athletic coaching and officiating because I dream of being relentlessly harassed after missing a call. I can't tell you that I have wanted to be a sports reporter my whole life, or even 10 years of my life, but what I can tell you is what made me fall in love with sports and sports reporting.
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I never really liked sports or expressed a particular interest in them as a kid. My sisters were involved in youth soccer leagues, and my older sister even played youth basketball. Still, I never really got into playing sports. I'd say the most experience I had with sports was the six months I spent going to karate classes. It was probably around the sixth grade when I met my best friend, Dominic. Dominic loves sports, and he loved them back then too. He was perhaps my first real exposure to sports in a professional sense. I loved video games as a kid, and I played Madden quite a lot, so I knew what football was, but I never really followed it on any level. Once I got to middle school, I finally developed an interest in these professional sports. An important thing to know about me is that once I grow interested in something, I become near obsessed with it.
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This was most definitely the case with my new interest in sports; I dove in headfirst. I wanted to learn as much as I could about football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, and other less popular sports. My favorite sport to watch is football, specifically college football. Talking of career aspirations and dream jobs, one of my dreams is to cover my dad's alma mater, Auburn University. I have been a fan of the Tigers since I can remember because of my dad. It would be a dream come true to get the chance to cover the Iron Bowl at Jordan Hare.
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After I went into deep research on all the sports I was watching for a while, I just thought of it as another hobby. However, all the time, my family and friends would make comments about how I should really consider it as a career choice. I was having difficulty figuring out what I wanted to major in. It wasn't until my senior year that I realized that I really wanted to cover sports for the rest of my life. My biggest inspirations in the field come from multiple outlets. Verne Lundquist is a considerable influence; I have a lot of respect for his approach and legacy. Gus Johnson is the best play-by-play commentator in the game right now; I will not debate that. Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojornowksi are two of the best reporters in the industry right now. One of my personal favorites in less traditional media is Jon Bois, the executive producer at Secret base, an SB Nation affiliate. I love all of his content and his research-based approach to producing content.
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My goals for myself start small. I am currently focused on getting as much experience as I can and getting my degree. After that, I'm open to any opportunity, whether a small-town news station sports reporter or maybe a local web affiliate. I just want to work and hone my craft to be ready for the second stage of my career goals. I want to work for a notable company: ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC, or an online-focused publication like Bleacher Report or The Athletic. I understand that is a challenging goal to accomplish, but I love this, and I believe that when you love what you do, you will excel at it. I know I can achieve my goals, and I hope that if you are reading this, you can trust that I will give 110% to get where I am going. That is a promise.
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