by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
Former Suns color commentator Cole Pepper recently gave new radio play-by-play man Jarrod “J. P.” Shadrick three rules of broadcasting: “Get all your commercials in, get out on time and don’t say (explicative) on the air.” Last year’s play-by-play announcer Joe Block added, “and make sure there’s good food up here.”
While Shadrick is no stranger to radio, he is the newest member of the Jacksonville Suns organization and finding Shadrick was no easy task, according to Suns General Manager Kirk Goodman.
“We received hundreds of submissions, but we feel that J. P. really set himself apart with his professionalism and quality broadcasts,” said Goodman. “He has just what we are looking for to represent the team on the radio.”
Most recently, Shadrick was working in South Dakota for the Sioux Falls Canaries in the Northern League. The move to Jacksonville is quite a switch for Shadrick thanks mostly to a much bigger fan base here in Jacksonville.
“I’m so pumped to be here. (The Northern League) was an independent league last year,” said Shadrick. “(Sioux Falls’) stadium held 4,000 people. It’s a great organization up there and the fans are nice, but the city only had 150,000 people.”
Shadrick hails from Trussville, Ala., (population 13,000) and started in radio at the University of Alabama where he began his radio career with two-minute sports updates on the student radio station WVUA. He eventually shifted into production work and just kept moving up. He was the first voice of UA softball on student radio, where he also did men’s basketball, baseball, volleyball and women’s soccer games until 2004.
Shadrick spent the 2004 baseball season as Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Wilson Tobs (N.C.) of the collegiate wooden-bat Coastal Plain League. He then went on to Salem, Va., to finish the Class-A Carolina League season as the broadcast assistant for the Salem Avalanche, before heading to South Dakota.
During college football season, Shadrick works with CBS Sports on its coverage of Southeastern Conference football, serving as spotter and as stage manager in the broadcast booth.
Shadrick’s ultimate goal is to make it to Major League Baseball in some capacity, preferably as a play-by-play guy, he said.
“But that’s years down the road,” he said. “This is one of the best jobs in any level of minor league baseball, and I am honored that the Bragan family and Kirk Goodman have given me this opportunity. I’m looking forward to a long relationship with the Jacksonville Suns.”
Shadrick can be heard all season long on AM-930, beginning April 6 when the Suns open the 2006 season as defending Southern League champions, hosting the Chattanooga Lookouts at the Baseball Grounds. The game starts at 7:05 p.m.