The man behind the mic: A day in the life of Aggie sports announcer Al Lewis

By Storee Powell

He is a man who’s always been overflowing with an undying and unconditional love for the USU Aggies.

Al Lewis said he is a true-blue, dyed in the wool, through-and-through Aggie who was born and raised in Logan. Al said he has lived in Logan nearly his entire life and doesn’t have plans to change that.

“Al lives and dies with the Aggies,” said Mike Parson, Aggie fan and life-long friend of Lewis.

Al’s career and much of his life has been centered on this love of Aggies and athletics. As a young boy, Al lived near the USU campus, and even went to grade school on the campus. Besides just watching Aggie sports games, Al said he attended the practices, where he memorized stats, players and collected autographs.

“Al used to sit alone in the old Fieldhouse in a reserved seat and would keep stats,” said Teresa Lewis, Al’s wife. “There is no doubt that Al is one of the most loyal fans the Aggies have ever had.”

For many of Al’s school years, he played sports himself. Eventually, however, Al decided being an athlete wasn’t his life’s calling.

“I always wanted to do something for the Aggies though,” Al said.

Al realized he was meant to be a radioman. Signs of Al’s destiny were evident in his early years. Teresa said while watching sports on television, Al would announce them, play by play, using a Tinker Toy as a microphone. As Al got older, he would bring a tape recorder to Aggie basketball games. Along with Parson, they would announce the games together.

“Al always wanted to be a broadcaster,” Parson said, “and he has stuck to his dream since he was a little kid, and now he is living his dream.”

A great influence to Al was his childhood neighbor and friend, Reid Andreasen, who worked at the local radio station KVNU and did the color commentary for Aggie games.

“Many times, if I had a few extra tickets, I would take Al with me to the games,” Andreasen said. “I believe that my being a radio personality during those years that we lived next to Al was a contributing factor in his desire to be in broadcasting.”

Although Al moved to Las Vegas for a couple of years with his family while he was in high school, he knew he wanted to come back to Logan and be a radio announcer for the Aggies.

Al said he attended USU and graduated in three years. While in school, he got a job at KVNU, with the help of Andreasen. He also assisted in announcing USU games.

After graduating, Al said he was hired as a sports broadcaster and announcer at the radio station, KVNU, now owned by Kent Frandsen. Al has worked there ever since and has racked up 36 years of on-air experience. He does the early morning show, which includes the news.

“I have to tell the story of the news fast, while keeping facts as clear as possible,” Al said, “but my job is never the same or boring.”

In order to prepare to air at 5:30 a.m., Al said he wakes up at 4:15 a.m.

“It suits Al to get up at 4:15 every morning and cheerfully greet his Cache Valley listeners,” Teresa said.

Al admits, though, the early morning risings aren’t what they used to be.

“It gets harder every year to be up so early. Sometimes I may get giddy on air from a lack of sleep,” Al said.

However, Teresa said lack of sleep does more than make him a little giddy.

“Lately, Al falls asleep on the job,” she said. “Sometimes his head hits the microphone and it wakes him up.”

But Al said he has a therapy and passion, which is announcing the USU games. While Al has contributed to the Aggies from his beginning, he officially began announcing football and basketball games for USU in 1995.

Teresa said he spends hours preparing for a game. She said he goes over stats, names of players, past games and creates scripts of commentary as well as elaborate charts of plays he learns by attending practices.

“I love pre-game prep, especially football,” Al said. “There is lots to learn that leads up to one game. I don’t think people know what goes into announcing a game.”

Dedication to excellence describes Al, and all agree on this matter.

“Al is dedicated to his job and his audience. He is professional all the way. He likes to feel he accomplishes a lot in his day, and he goes until he drops,” Teresa said.

Andrea, Al’s 16-year-old daughter, agreed.

“My dad works very hard, and I am very proud of him,” she said.

Andreasen said Al has talents and skills that make him a natural at commentary.

“Al has a tremendous ability with statistics, and a memory of athletes and games that is awesome,” Andreasen said.

Al said he is passionate about what he does and doesn’t see it as just a job.

“I just have to put my heart and soul into stuff – I can never just do things to get them done,” Al said about his dedication to his job and life in general.

Parson confirmed this.

“Al is organized on and off air, and he is very dependable,” Parson said. “He wants to do a good job. Al always sticks to his word.”

Teresa attributes her husband’s success at radio because he is humble and does not make a big deal about himself. He knows what his responsibilities are, and he takes them seriously.

Al said he has interviewed many high-profile people, including Major League Baseball player Hank Aaron, former professional basketball players Karl Malone and Charles Barkely and even actor Paul Newman.

But Al said he enjoys interviewing local high school students and athletes. Often, Al will interview players of high school teams from both sides before the game.

“I think people appreciate this. It means more than just announcing what happened in the game,” Al said. “This shows there is still a place for local radio.”

Teresa said Al is a celebrity himself, locally anyway.

“Al has a following that he is not even aware of,” she said.

Teresa said the Lewis family often has people talk to them they don’t even know, but the people feel they know Al, and the whole Lewis family.

“People start their days with him. It’s like he is part of their family,” Teresa said.

And though Al has to travel frequently with the teams and spends time away from home, this doesn’t stop him from keeping track of his family.

“I can’t keep track of where he goes all the time, but he calls me from road trips and says, ‘Where are you?'” Andrea said. “He keeps track of me no matter where he is.”

As a sports announcer, being away from home for long periods of time is a fact of life for Al. Andreasen said as a broadcaster, Lewis has to sacrifice his time for the benefit of bringing the games to the folks back home.

Andreasen remembered from his own career that even at local games, his family didn’t sit with him.

“I have heard Al mention on occasion that he missed his wife and family also. He does have a very friendly personality and is well liked by his peers,” said Andreasen.

But Al makes time to be a family man. Teresa said Al is a loyal friend, father and husband.

Al shares his love of broadcasting with Teresa by having her be his co-host on the early morning show once in a while.

“Al and I work really well as a couple because he is grounded. I am the creative, nervous, take-charge wife … he makes me feel secure and I make his life a party,” Teresa said.

While Al is very passionate during announcing, his off-air personality is somewhat different, Teresa and Parson both said. Both said he is more laid back off-air, and perhaps even shy in social settings.

“On the radio, Al is totally in his element,” Teresa said.

–storee.powell@aggiemail.usu.edu