Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Timeline
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Joseph Mertens

Cleveland,OH

Summary

I am an Athletic Communications Specialist with a proven track record at Saint Ignatius High School, excelling in social media engagement and project management since 2021. In 2024, I successfully rebranded the athletic website to bring us a collegiate look and make it more user-friendly. I take point in producing our annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction videos. I am proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, creating game day, post-game, and spotlight graphics for social media. I foster strong relationships with staff and student-athletes to enhance media coverage of 16 varsity sports. Every summer, I produce an award-winning media guide for our football program and provide weekly game notes to Northeast Ohio media outlets.

Overview

5
5
years of professional experience

Work History

Athletic Communications Specialist

Saint Ignatius High School
Cleveland, OH
01.2021 - Current
  • Manage relationships within the Athletic Department staff and the coaches of all 16 teams to define the tone and theme of coverage for each sport, while ensuring brand consistency.
  • I took the lead in rebranding the athletic website, switching our platform from SportsEngine to SideArm Sports within six months, a platform used by most college programs.
  • Updating the athletics website with up-to-date schedules, rosters, and coaching staff. Linking games to sports previews, recaps, and live streams.
  • Producing or assigning live social media updates for all athletic events, and coordinating coverage of away events with SIBN students, team managers, coaches, or parents.
  • Coordinate athletics media coverage, working with media members to arrange interviews with student-athletes, and coaches.
  • Serve as the point person for Athletic Online Day of Giving, which raised more than $100,000, working alongside our Advancement Department.
  • Create unique sports graphics and game highlights to be shared on the Saint Ignatius Twitter and Instagram athletic pages.
  • Coordinator for the Athletic Hall of Fame videos that are showcased at Saint Ignatius' annual Wildcats Roar.
  • Produce an annual award-winning football media guide for each season, game programs for all sports, and weekly game notes.
  • Assist with everyday tasks within the Communications and Marketing Department, including creating forms to collect payment for our youth athletic camps and enrichment programs. Moreover, promoting these camps via social media for registrations.

Moderator for the SIBN

Saint Ignatius High School
Cleveland, OH
01.2021 - Current
  • Mentor students interested in broadcasting, journalism, photography, and graphics to assist with the athletic department.
  • Set up broadcasts for nine of the 16 varsity sports, allowing students to get behind the mic.
  • Contact the host school to reserve space in the press box or stands to live-stream road events.

Production Assistant

Fox Sports Ohio
Cleveland, OH
02.2020 - 01.2021
  • Freelance production assistant for the Drennan Live show on Sports Time Ohio.
  • Screen viewer's calls to be placed on the show; acquired their name, location, and intent on the phone call to Bruce Drennan.
  • Camera operator in the studio for the Drennan Live show.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Sports Business / Integrated Media

University of Mount Union
Alliance, OH
05-2019

Skills

  • Communication
  • Time Management
  • Public Speaking
  • Staff Development
  • Social Media Engagement
  • Writing
  • Marketing
  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Premier Pro

Accomplishments

  • Best Media Mind for the SIBN presented by Cleveland.com
  • 2x Gold Medal for the Football Media Guide
  • Krahling Journalism Award

Timeline

Athletic Communications Specialist

Saint Ignatius High School
01.2021 - Current

Moderator for the SIBN

Saint Ignatius High School
01.2021 - Current

Production Assistant

Fox Sports Ohio
02.2020 - 01.2021

Bachelor of Arts - Sports Business / Integrated Media

University of Mount Union

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Joseph Mertens