St. Charles student scores spot on Bears broadcast
ST. CHARLES -- While other fourth-graders at Ferson Creek Elementary School were studying in class Thursday, Zachary Hubbe was living life large as a play-by-play broadcaster for WBBM radio.
Zach, his family and his classmates will get to hear him describe a Bears touchdown from last week's game during Jeff Joniak's pregame show this Sunday.
"I loved it -- it was awesome to be there and do that," Zach said. "I can't wait to hear it on the radio."
Zach won the first of eight drawings in WBBM's Junior Broadcaster contest, co-sponsored by Great Clips hair salon chain. While people can enter the contest online, Zach entered at Great Clips' South Elgin shop, said his mother, Gretchen.
"His name was drawn from thousands of entries throughout northern Illinois and Indiana," Gretchen Hubbe said. "I was shocked when I got the phone call saying he'd won."
After practicing his script for the five-line play call, Zach and his mother drove to WBBM's studio in downtown Chicago for his taping session. Though he didn't get to meet Joniak, he did get to use the same chair and recording equipment that Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris uses to record promotional announcements.
"When they told me I was in No. 91's chair, it was really cool because he's one of my favorite players," Zach said.
The taping took less time than the Hubbes' expected.
"He was done in just a few takes," Gretchen Hubbe said. "Zach was really professional; he asked to do another take after one I thought sounded just fine because it didn't come out quite the way he wanted it to."
"The people at the studio said Zach did better than a lot of adults they've recorded," added his father, John Hubbe.
"I was a little nervous going in, but (recording the play call) was a lot of fun," Zach said. "I used a big microphone that replayed the words like it was someone talking to you who just happened to sound like you. That was neat."
The Hubbes' extended family will meet Sunday for a group photograph and a Bears pregame party with the radio tuned and ready for Zach's big moment.
His classmates at Ferson Creek were scheduled to hear a preview of Zach's performance over the school intercom Friday, but Principal Chris Adkins was still waiting for a copy of the recording Friday morning.
"Zach's a good kid and I am a really big Bears fan, so this is very exciting for me," Adkins said. "This is a neat experience for a kid. I'm going to be listening for him on Sunday."

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