Stefanie Dolson is more than an All-American basketball player at UConn. She is a very outgoing, funny, spontaneous young woman with an eye on a career as a broadcaster.
While she was resting her multiple injuries this summer, she spent six weeks doing an internship at SNY, the New York cable network that carries the Huskies.
But they say there is nothing like hands-on experience in any industry. And that is what she had on Tuesday when she was invited to host the first anniversary show of CPTV Sports “Beyond The Beat” panel program.
Instead of answering the questions, which she is very good at doing, Stef got to ask a few to the regular hosts of the show – WFSB’s Joe Zone, New London Day columnist Mike DiMauro and Hartford Courant columnist Jeff Jacobs.
And Stef was wonderful during the 30-minute show, which airs tonight on CPTV Sports at 7 p.m. (check your local listings).
“I was a little nervous because this was the first time I had every done anything like this,” Dolson said after the taping. “I’d say it was somewhat similar to the first college game I ever played at UConn. There were a lot of people there [at the game] and pressure. But when you are doing something like this [the taping] for the first time, something that is new to you, it is nerve-wracking.”
She asked the sports panel what sports they liked covering the most. She relayed a concern from some teammates that media may ask too many “obvious” questions and didn’t take the time to learn how to pronounce player’s names. Like Kaleena Mosqueda Lewis, for instance.
She looked totally at ease and even answered questions about her involvement in the infamous “Bunny Ears” caper at the White House in July when the national champions visited the White House.
The young woman has a great future in broadcasting. And she wants one. But she also wants to make sure she maxes out her days in the WNBA and Europe first.
“Having different options in life is always good,” Dolson said. “As much as I missed going to Russia [with USA Basketball's World University Games team that including Mosqueda-Lewis and Bria Hartley] and that experience, it was a solid trade-off to be able to get my foot in the door in terms of a future career.
“I will do basketball first. It doesn’t have anything to do with anything else but the fact that you can’t play forever. I would play while I am young and able and enjoy being overseas and in the WNBA.”
Take my advice: Do Not Miss This, if you are a Stef Dolson fan.
