Alana Seldon: Raised by Hoops

Story and Photo by Jared Bomba

 SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Alana Seldon has basketball in her blood.She says that is what brought her to Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

“My love for basketball started at a very young age,” said Seldon, a native of Hartford, Conn. “I grew up in a house of basketball enthusiasts. I played myself, my brother played all his life, my father.”

She says she learned early on that she was also passionate about storytelling.

“I realized I love to tell stories, I love to talk,” she said. “Seeing people, dynamic women on television who are sideline reporters, anchors…pretty much just sparked that interest for telling stories, especially connecting to my love for the game.”

Seldon attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C, for her undergraduate degree in Communications Arts. After working in public relations for the Charlotte Hornets and at WTIC-WCCT/FOX 61 News in Hartford, she is looking to refine her skills and advance in the communications industry while at Newhouse.

“I definitely want to continue my education, most importantly to get advice and the technical knowledge of the field from the professors here at Newhouse,” she said. I know [they] have a really good experience in the field, working in different capacities. That’s why I’m here.”

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Interview Transcript - Audio

Jared Bomba: Alana, thank you for speaking with me today. My first question, you’ve held several positions connected to basketball. Where did this interest in the game come from?

Alana Seldon: So, my love for basketball started at a very young age. I grew up in a house of basketball enthusiasts. I played myself, my brother played all his life, my father. So just kind of growing up. I have an older brother and an older sister but my brother and I are closer in age, so I was pretty much raised by him and his friends. So just kind of being around them, being raised by them kinda just exposed me to the game. And so that’s pretty much where my love of the game started. And then I picked up playing and played all the way up to high school, when I all of a sudden chose cheerleading over playing basketball (chuckles). So yeah that was pretty much my life, but the love for the game remains.

JB: You said that you began cheerleading in high school. Obviously, you still have an interest in the game. Do you have any regrets about not play through high school? Do you think you could have?

AS: I definitely think I could have. I think at that point in time my choice was pretty much just being lazy I guess. I mean, I had cheered all my life so I always did both, so it wasn’t foreign to me. But I have some regrets about not playing anymore. I wish I would have continued playing, now looking back at it. I think I would have been more knowledgeable about certain things with the game if I had continued playing, so I think that is pretty much my only regret.

JB: Okay. So you didn’t play through high school then, but obviously still have a great interest. When did you decide that you wanted to work in basketball?

AS: I think that was a long time ago, and I think my career choice not just in basketball period, but in broadcast. I think I realized I love to tell stories, I love to talk and that was just, as seeing people, dynamic women on television actually who are sideline reporters, anchors, things like that I looked up to. Pretty much just sparked that interest for telling stories, especially connecting my love for the game with my love for telling stories as well. So that’s pretty much where that started.

JB: That makes a lot of sense. A lot of your background is in basketball, what other sports do you know a lot about, have a particular interest in?

AS: I enjoy football. Basketball is my favorite sport, but I enjoy football. I played volleyball as well so I enjoy volleyball. I like soccer, I’m not that knowledgeable of it, but I do enjoy watching. I do not like baseball. That’s a shock to a lot of people but I am not necessarily a big fan of baseball and I know last summer with my internship with the FOX affiliate in Hartford, Conn., I was there during the summer and so I was a news intern but I worked hand in hand with the sports department and those anchors and so because it was the summer, I kind of had to get into the world of baseball. I didn’t necessarily enjoy it but it really was a challenge and I think that’s what I did appreciate about the experience. So, teaching me few things, some of the rules and regulations of the sport, producing the highlights for the games that were going on, things like that. So I have a little experience, but I’m not a huge fan.

JB: Okay. You mentioned what you did last summer, you have a lot of experience working in media and PR. What brings you to Newhouse?

AS: Well, I do know that in order to be a reporter, anchor or anything in broadcast journalism, you don’t have to come to grad school. You can go straight from undergrad or wherever else when you have those different experiences that kind of set you up for the opportunity. But I definitely want to continue my education, most importantly to get advice and the technical knowledge of the field from the professors here at Newhouse, who I know have a really good experience in the field, working in different capacities in the field. Also, the program being a year, being fast, that was definitely a plus for me. And I think pretty much yeah, continuing the education, getting a more technical knowledge about the background of writing and broadcast and things like that. That’s why I’m here.

JB: Cool. We spoke a little bit about favorite journalists, anchors a little bit in class. Do you have in particular that you look up to?

AS: In terms of broadcast, my favorite, I guess I’ll go with a woman because I am (chuckles). Cari Champion, she definitely inspires me. Being a young black woman myself, I think to look on the television and see someone as successful as her, she kind of reinforces the idea that I can do it as well. I think I relate to her in terms of the positions that she has held. On First Take, and where she is now, I think that she has always held her own, and she might not necessarily have spoken up as much as she wanted to. But I think, especially on First Take, being in the middle of two sports guys who have really strong opinions, that’s pretty much how I was raised. My love for the game came from being the only girl in a room full of guys debating whatever it is, and being able to speak up with my opinion. I think that she definitely reinforces that idea for me.

JB: Well, you seem to have a very clear idea of what you want to do and where you’re going. Where do you see yourself, what is your dream job five, maybe 10 years down the line?

AS: The funny thing is, I really don’t know yet. I’m still trying to figure that out. I love to write, so producing and being behind the scenes is definitely something that I would like to get into. But I do like telling stories myself, so being in front of the camera as a reporter, anchor, analyst, moderator, something of that nature is also cool. Still trying to figure it out, but somewhere in the realm of broadcast.

JB: All right, very good. I think that should be good for me. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me.

AS: You’re welcome.