Matt Marshall High above the rafters of Reunion Arena in a live broadcasting booth, Marshall takes part in broadcasting Dallas' own professional hockey team, the Dallas Stars

I hree hours before a Dallas Stars home game, he pored over team at an early age. statistics for the Stars and the opposing team. The third man in the "Back when I was 6 years old, Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton live broadcast booth for the Dallas Stars Hockey Network was junior Oilers had a game at Reunion Arena. I got to see them and the broadcast major Matt Marshall. Detroit Red Wings play," Marshall said. "That got me hooked." Marshall was the man who handed Ralph Strangis and Daryl Shortly thereafter, Marshall was headed lor the hockey surface as Reaugh, the two main announcers for the network, the latest statistics. he started playing roller hockey. Marshall has played ice hockey since Marshall also communicated with show producers, giving them the 1995. His team at the Stars Center placed second in its division. same information to place on the television screen as visual graphics. Marshall normally played forward, sometimes defense. How Marshall came to get the job wasn't one's typical job inter­ When Marshall first started with the Stars, he was in a non-paid view process — rather, it was a lucky happenstance. While shopping position as an intern. Marshall became a paid member of the Stars for Dallas Stars memorabilia at the Stars Center Gift Shop, Marshall broadcast team, making $50 per game in 2000. met Strangis and asked for his business card. At that time, Marshall "This year I received a 50 percent increase to $75 a game," was a senior at First Baptist Academy in downtown Dallas. Marshall said. Marshall found out there was an internship available. After many Reagh estimated that Marshall had invested about 500 hours of his phone calls to Strangis, he was allowed to submit his application. He own time, without pay, to learn the business and what it takes to be applied for it and got it. The internship was supposed to go to college successful in the field. junior or senior broadcast majors. Marshall was graduating from high Before each game, Marshall familiarized himself with the press school at the time. notes and historical notes between the teams that are playing. Then he He started with the Stars network in the fall of his freshman year at donned a microphone and a one-ear headset to make his statistics Brookhaven Community College. instantly available to his producers, Strangis and Reaugh. Marshall attended his first two years at Brookhaven in Farmers Marshall's long term goals were to become a National Hockey Branch. He was one of 1 0 people who received a hill Dallas Area League broadcaster, possibly for the Stars. Community College transfer scholarship to SMU that year. "I believe that Matt's type of commitment along with his willing­ While at Brookhaven, Marshall was senior staff writer and assistant ness to work hard, set goals, and develop his overall broadcasting skills editor of The Brookhaven Courier. He juggled this with his broadcast will serve him well in pursuing the career he desires," Reaugh said. schedule for the Stars network. Marshall's adoration of hockey began By Steve Parker

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