Craig Coshun

Many of us would have loved to make careers out of what we did for fun as children. Occasionally, such dreams work out. For example, I would bet a surprising number of us played “announcer” to games in our yards and schools. Craig Coshun was one of those kids – and talking about sports on TV is what he gets to do for a living.

For our latest installment of “Where Are They Now?” for sports media folks in the Chippewa Valley, we caught up with Coshun, who you may recall as a sports reporter/weekend anchor on WEAU-TV and WAXX/WAYY radio at the end of the 1980s. More likely, you now know him as the pregame and postgame anchor for the Brewers and Bucks on Fox Sports Wisconsin, where he also does in-game reporting and the occasional play-by-play fill-in gig.

As a youth in suburban Milwaukee, it was growing up listening to those teams on the radio that first inspired Coshun. Hearing Bob Uecker’s storytelling (“Get up, get up, get outta here ... Gone!”) and the Bucks’ Eddie Doucette’s excited announcing (“Bango!”) provided the inspiration, and soon enough Craig was doing his own version. “I used to pretend to do play-by-play when my older brother and his friends played pick-up games in the driveway when I was in grade school,” he recalls “The gift of gab, as all of my teachers would say.”

“I was stunned at the crowds and enthusiasm for each of these teams. (It) made it feel like sports had a whole new meaning to me. It was as pure as it gets when it comes to amateur competition.” – Craig Coshun, Fox Sports Wisconsin, on his first experiences reporting on sports in western Wisconsin

By the ’80s, he scored a summer internship at WEAU, where he received guidance from three of the guys who helped shape how we watched athletics in our area: sports anchors Rick Foy and Bob Brainerd and News Director John Hoffland. Coshun notes that Foy helped him learn the art of interviewing and player/coach relationships; Brainerd helped with the writing, editing, and attention to detail; and Hoffland helpedwith making the projects happen and – when Foy left and Brainerd became sports director in 1988 – with hiring Craig for his first job out of UW-Whitewater. “I’ll admit (and so will they), I was awful at first,” he says. “But they were patient and helped me get better. I’m not sure how many guys like me would survive these days without the likes of Bob, Rick, and John.”

He got better fast: By 1990, he moved up from small-market Eau Claire to medium-market Madison, eventually becoming sports director at WMTV-TV before going to large-market Milwaukee and the Brewers/Bucks cable broadcasts. Coshun is one of the ones who has gotten to be a Wisconsin sports fan and professional. “I have been fortunate to call Wisconsin home since I was born,” he says.

The time spent in western Wisconsin sure left a good impression: “I cannot imagine being in a better media market or sports town. We covered UW-Eau Claire, which to me was as good as covering the Badgers, Packers, and any other major team in the state.” He was here at a good time, with the Blugold men’s basketball team making national championship runs in the NAIA.

Yet what really made an impact was the passion of high school sports fans – and communities. “I grew up in suburban Milwaukee, and high school sports was only big to the actual schools, not so much to the communities as they are in the smaller towns north and west of Milwaukee,” he says. “I remember the very first assignments I was sent out to: one was the state high school hockey championships in Madison and the next was a high school girls basketball sectional final. I was stunned at the crowds and enthusiasm for each of these teams. (It) made it feel like sports had a whole new meaning to me. It was as pure as it gets when it comes to amateur competition.”

Coshun has covered it all over the decades: “Some great high school championships, Rose Bowls and Super Bowls. Interviewed athletes from Michael Jordan to Oscar Robertson. And Hank Aaron to Brett Favre. Even called a Big Ten basketball championship for the Badgers.” With the caliber of teams and athletes in this state, he’ll get more of those chances – living the dream from those days on the driveway. “Overall,” he says. “I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do and mean this sincerely ... it beats workin’!”

Full Interview

Volume One: What/who inspired you to get into broadcasting? How did you get the job working sports in Eau Claire?
Craig Coshun: My inspiration to get into the business was fueled by listening to the radio of Brewers and Bucks games. Who doesn’t enjoy Bob Uecker share stories about baseball and get goose bumps listening to his famous home run call: “Get up, get up, get outta here ... Gone!” I also enjoyed the colorful descriptions of Bucks broadcaster Eddie Doucette ... “Bango!” I used to pretend to do play-by-play when my older brother and his friends played pick-up games in the driveway when I was in grade school. The gift of gab, as all of my teachers would say.

Describe your years working in the Chippewa Valley sports media. Any particularly memorable stories/people that you covered?
My time covering sports in the Chippewa Valley was simply the best. I cannot imagine being in a better media market or sports town. We covered UW-Eau Claire, which to me was as good as covering the Badgers, Packers, and any other major team in the state. We produced live broadcasts of the Blugolds basketball and football games and covered them all the way to the NAIA national championships. Beyond those teams, the most eye-opening experience for me was learning how important high school sports are to the cities and towns of Wisconsin. I grew up in suburban Milwaukee, and high school sports was only big to the actual schools, not so much to the communities as they are in the smaller towns north and west of Milwaukee. I remember the very first assignments I was sent out to: one was the state high school hockey championships in Madison and the next was a high school girls basketball sectional final. I was stunned at the crowds and enthusiasm for each of these teams. (It) made it feel like sports had a whole new meaning to me. It was as pure as it gets when it comes to amateur competition.

What led you to leave the Chippewa Valley in your career?
I left Eau Claire only because it was time to move on to the next step of my career. From the starter-market to the medium market of Madison and then on to the bigger market of Milwaukee. I have been fortunate to call Wisconsin home since I was born. (I) graduated from UW-Whitewater and have spent my entire professional career in the state.

How, if at all, did anchoring/reporting on WEAU and WAYY – in TV and radio – affect your future career path (i.e., did you discover a passion for a particular method of covering sports)?
Three people gave me the opportunity of a lifetime: Bob Brainerd, Rick Foy, and John Hoffland. All three were at WEAU back in the mid-1980s when I came calling for a summer internship. They allowed me to come to the station almost every day of that summer, and before it was over they helped me put together several stories that ran during sports telecasts. Bob guided me through story writing, editing, and paying attention to detail. (That’s) very critical to succeed in this business. Rick helped guide me through conducting interviews and becoming familiar in how to build relationships with coaches and players. And John was our news director, he gave us the green light on every project and he was kind enough to see how hard I was working and gave me a chance to be a reporter. Without these guys, I’d be nowhere. One year after my internship, Rick left the station and Bob was promoted to sports director. They hired me to join the staff, and that’s how I got my first job. I’ll admit (and so will they), I was awful at first. But they were patient and helped me get better. I’m not sure how many guys like me would survive these days without the likes of Bob, Rick, and John.

What is your stand-out moment from your overall career in sports broadcasting, and what are your future plans?
I have covered some great high school championships, Rose Bowls and Super Bowls. Interviewed athletes from Michael Jordan to Oscar Robertson. And Hank Aaron to Brett Favre. Even called a Big Ten basketball championship for the Badgers. It’s tough to say any stood out more than another. Overall, I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do and mean this sincerely ... it beats workin’!