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Staff Information

DJ Whetter

Sports Anchor/Reporter

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Hometown: Stanley, Kansas

College: University of Kansas

Degree: Broadcast Journalism/Political Science - May 2005

Started at Ch. 6: June 2004

Awards: KAB 1st Place College News Show - Director

Beat: Sports

At what moment did you realize you wanted to become a journalist (videographer, meteorologist, sports reporter, etc.)? And if there wasn't a specific point in time, what was the motivating factor?

I have always loved sports, and I realized I wanted to be a sports journalist at about the same time I realized I would never be a professional athlete. I can't run or jump, but I can write and speak, so I decided to write and speak about people who can run and jump.

When you really want to relax and let your hair down in Lawrence, where do you go and what do you do?

I live in east Lawrence and there is an awesome, old baseball field at Hobbs Park. My roommates and I love to go there and play baseball whenever it's nice out. It doesn't get any better than east Lawrence.

What comes to your mind as the most memorable local story you've covered?

In the area of sports it has to be the sub-state volleyball championships. Three of the four local high schools qualified for state in one day, and I somehow made it to all their matches. It was a great day of running all over Douglas County and capturing some awesome local teams.

If you couldn't be a reporter, what occupation would you want to try?

If you could make a living being a little league baseball coach that would be my best bet. Baseball is my favorite sport by far, but I don't trust myself to coach anyone over the age of 13. I have too much fun to coach seriously.

Which two people do you admire most? One should be someone you know. The other, someone you've never met.

First of all, I admire my parents. We'll count them as one entity. They have always supported me and always taught me to find an occupation that made me happy. My father gave up 25 years in business to go to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, his dream job, and my mother gave up 22 years of being a mom to go back to work to support my dad in school. It doesn't get any better than having two parents to look up to who truly exemplify how to serve others.

The other person I admire is from the journalism world. I really think Joe Posnanski of the KC Star is one of the best sports writers I've ever read. His ability to tell sports stories from a different angle is amazing.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only one song to listen to and one book to read for the duration, what would they be?

I'd go with the book Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, I really love his storytelling. As for music, it would have to be Rockin' the Suburbs by Ben Folds. I love Ben's music, and, since I'd be all alone, I could dance knowing that no one was watching.

If they were going to execute you tomorrow, rightly or wrongly, what would your last meal consist of?

I'd have some lobster, some of my mom's homemade tortillas, some of my girlfriend's spaghetti and a really expensive wine. I realize none of that goes together, but if it's my last meal I might as well go all out.

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