Question regarding contacting student-athlete

Hi SJ gang. I've been tasked with writing a feature on a college football player at Christopher Newport Univ. I called the school's sports information office and was told that they would put me in touch with him. I haven't heard from him but was able to get his number another way. Am I allowed to call him for the interview, or does the school have to facilitate the process? Thanks in advance!

-Elton

 

You can call him, the school may just get mad.

I would call him. You already talked to the school and they were OK with you getting in contact so they shouldn't have issue with you talking to him. If they do, just tell them that stories are time sensitive and you can't wait.

 

Is DeWayne Peevy their SID?

 

How time-sensitive is the story? Is it due tomorrow, or can it wait a few days?

If you don't need to contact the athlete right away, then I'd call the SID again just to remind him. No need to burn a bridge. If he doesn't get you in contact again, then call the athlete.

If it is a breaking story, then call the athlete. He's an adult, and can decide whether to talk to you or not.

Also keep in mind that it's Columbus Day weekend. The kid may have gone home, or the SID may be taking a day or two off.

 

The hyphen is not necessary. That's all I've got.

 

Agree with all of this. Typically, colleges have been really accommodating with me when I've tried to do interviews, so I imagine it might just be because of the long weekend or something to that effect.

 

I doubt the SID is taking a long weekend since it's in the middle of football season. If my kids weren't out of school today, I would have had no clue that it's Columbus Day. I say call the kid. Might piss off the SID, but the SID isn't paying you to write the story. Whoever "tasked" you with the story is paying you.

 

Thanks to everyone who offered advice. I'll give the SID one final call this morning. I will call the kid if I haven't heard from the SID by tomorrow afternoon. I'm fairly new to this and appreciate the advice.

 

Do you live close to Virginia Beach? You could just go to the game and make contact that way.

 

I'm actually in Washington, DC. So that would be a bit of a hike

 

Also, don't ever use the term student-athlete ever again...

 

I would also not alert to the SID that you have the cell number. I never let them know that because it may be something they don't actually want an interview done on. If you tell you have the cell number he will likely alert the kid to not answer and do the interview. If he has no clue you have it he could very well just think giving you the run around will work.

I don't know, that's just how I play it. I never let people know when I have the cell number because you never know when a controversial story will come up and being able to get through to an athlete when the department doesn't expect it can give you the quotes you need to break something.