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Written by NewOrleans.Com/Sports Monday, 03 August 2009 14:03
NewOrleans.Com/Sports is pleased to announce the addition of a pair of distinguished prep contributors to its distinguished roster of writers/bloggers. Bill Bumgarner and Ron Brocato have joined the team in time for the 2009 prep football season.
A native New Orleanian, Brocato grew up in Gentilly and attended John McDonogh High School. After serving in the United States Air Force, Brocato graduated from Long Beach State University (California) and started in the field of journalism with the Anaheim (California) Bulletin. Brocato returned to New Orleans in 1966, working for the States-Item. He would also work the Times-Picayune through 1987. For the past several years, Brocato has served as sports editor for the Clarion Herald, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, providing extensive prep sports coverage.
During his career, Brocato has won several awards, including being named Louisiana Sports Writer of the Year in 1974 and Prep Writer of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association in 1997. Brocato received the Apollo trophy, awarded to the outstanding journalist of 2004 by the American Italian Renaissance Foundation as well as the 2006 Louisiana High School Athletic Association Prep Journalism Award (2006).
Brocato authored the definitive history book dedicated to perpetuating the evolution of high school football, "The Golden Game: When Prep Football Was King in New Orleans," published in 2002. "It is the must-read, must-have, totally inclusive book on prep football in the New Orleans area," said Ken Trahan, President and General Manager of NewOrleans.Com/Sports.
Brocato has worked as a host and contributor on Ken Trahan's Original Prep Football Report on WGSO, 990 AM since 2003 and has served as the Louisiana High School Athletic Association media coordinator for the state football championship games in the Louisiana Superdome for the past 14 years. He is a member of the De La Salle Sports Hall of Fame.
"It has been a gratifying career, I have always enjoyed history. The first sports I can remember seeing is high school football. I played in high school. The guys were really bigger than life to me when I was young. I was fortunate to see all the great athletes who came through New Orleans. The Clarion Herald has been great. NewoOrleans.Com gives me an opportunity to tell more people about prep sports I love and about sports in the future. It's exciting to join the team at the same time as Bill Bumgarner. We have been writing partners for most of 30 something years. I truly respect all of the guys at Neworleans.com, having worked with them professionally in radio and in print. It is exciting to be a part of such a solid team, "said Brocato.
A graduate of New Orleans Academy (NOA) in 1967 and USL in 1971, Bumgarner worked at The States-Item for nearly nine years (1972-1981) before moving the Times-Picayune after a merger in 1981, where he worked until 2009. He covered prep most of the time, as well as recruiting and LSU sports. Bumgarner also had the state schools beat on the college level for a period of time. He produced his first recruiting blue-chip list in 1975. He covered golf for eight years while at the States-Item. Bumgarner has won many awards for his work which he prefers not to focus on. For "Bummer," it is all about the games, the young men and women who play and the coaches who teach and coach them.
"Certainly, dealing with teen-age kids, high school coaches and high school administrators is completely different from college and pro. You try to accentuate the positive. Players turn over frequently. Most of the time, it's the first time they have ever been interviewed. The coaches and players are very appreciative of everything you do. I just like them. It's one of the few things where you can get close to people. There's no way that you don't build friendships with folks during that time. It sure went by fast! I've seen some great athletes and great games and some lousy games as well but the good has outweighed the bad by far.
I'm looking forward to the continuing challenge. I am going to try to give the readers some stories that they find interesting. When you have a point to make or a strong opinion to venture, I will stick it out there. The biggest changes in prep sports have been the advent of the Internet and Title 9 Legislation. There is still room for reporting, getting information and getting it right and making it interesting. I'm very grateful to Neworleans.com for the opportunity. Louisiana is a family. I think our media get along very well. It's small enough to where everyone knows everybody. I'm glad to be part of a group of guys at Neworleans.com Sports who I am familiar with and respect quite a bit," said Bumgarner.
"I can't tell you how excited I am about having Ron and Bill joining our team," said Bill Hammack, CEO and partner at NewOrleans.Com. "When we started NewOrleans.Com/Sports, we committed to making it the very best sports web site in the Louisiana. Ken Trahan has done an incredible job in the past year bringing together some of the best reporters and analysts in the state. Adding Ron and Bill is further evidence of our commitment to excellence."
"Over the course of over three decades in the business, I have not respected anyone as much as Ron Brocato and Bill Bumgarner when it comes to prep sports. They are a tremendous addition to our team of writers," said Trahan.
