Graydon Bazell - Voice of Acalanes Football

When the lights snap on Friday nights and the Acalanes football team takes the field for warmups, Graydon Bazell warms up in the drafty press box above the stadium, looking down on the crowd slowly filling the stands. Wearing a pink polo shirt in support of Breast Cancer Awareness night, public-address announcer Bazell is an extrovert, a techy on caffeine, the "Voice of Acalanes Football."

This is his first announcing job.

"Good evening and welcome to Acalanes High for Dons Friday Night Football," he says with the patented rhythm of a professional announcer when the stands are full and kickoff is imminent. "Dons fans, get on your feet and make some noise for your 2010 Aca-lanes DONS!"

The crowd - his crowd now - roars. The lights go on and the heavy-metal soundtrack Bazell created for tonight's game pounds away over the sound system, rolling out over the field and the players below.

Friday night high school football is small-town fun and last Friday's Acalanes-Miramonte game had an extra buzz of excitement in the air as KTVU and Cal-Hi Sports Bay Area both featured the match-up - KTVU as its "Game of the Week."

It was up to Bazell to keep that buzz going.

"I have to keep it energetic, loud, over the top," said Graydon, 17, who has been announcing Acalanes High games for the past two years.  "I use music to keep the people moving and excited."

Announcing a football game is hard work.  You have to watch the game and talk about what's going on. It's stressful. The announcer is expected to provide information about the teams, the plays, the back stories. It's harder than he makes it look.

"When somebody comes up to me after a game and says I sound good, it makes me proud. Of course, you want to be fair to both sides, you want everybody to have a good time," he said.

Graydon gives play-by-play reports announcing the names, heroics and progress of both teams on the field. His delivery is professional, surprising almost in someone so young, and he has been known to throw in a quip or two to get the crowds chuckling. Many in the stands have known Graydon most of his life. Those who don't are invariably impressed that he's a student and not a professional broadcaster.

His favorite moment behind the mic? "When I get to say Touchdown Aca-Lanes!" Bazell says. "That's always my favorite moment."

Graydon landed the announcer's gig when he expressed interest and the coach took a leap of faith. He said it wasn't too hard a transition because he has worked as the technical sound and lighting coordinator for the Town Hall Kids programs at Town Hall Theater since he was 15.

For the football gig, he cultivated a knowledge of football rules, jargon, and a familiarity with the players and coaches. Speaking publicly without a script came pretty naturally, he says, a skill he'll take with him into his future career.

And what might that be? Apparently Dick Callahan, announcer for the Cal Bears, had better watch his back. Graydon regards him as an inspiration - and as someone whose job he'd like to have some day.

Graydon Bazell Profile:

Favorite Food: His mom's Thai Peanut Pasta

His Ride: Mini Cooper

Favorite Pastime: Go-karting with his best friend, Isaac, at Umigo in Livermore.

Elizabeth Lampert is president of Elizabeth Lampert PR, a social-media junkie and amateur photographer. She can be found on Facebook Twitter and at Lampert@elizabethlampertpr.com