Voicing His Love for Pfeiffer
Over a round of golf one day about 10 years ago, Steve Cumming 鈥�92 and Jack Ingram 鈥�74, started talking about new developments on Pfeiffer鈥檚 campus. Ingram, a Professor in the Sport Management program, had taught Cumming in his major subject, and both were active alumni.
Ingram, now retired and a member of Pfeiffer鈥檚 Sports Hall of Fame, was serving as deputy athletic director at Pfeiffer at the time, and he had coached its softball and women鈥檚 basketball teams. He mentioned that an opening had emerged for a public address announcer for the home games of the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball teams at Pfeiffer. He urged Cumming to consider filling the position.
Cumming, the Director of Dual Enrollment Programs at Stanly (N.C.) Community College, wasn鈥檛 sure: 鈥淚 said, 鈥楯ack, I鈥檝e never done that before. I like sports, but that鈥檚 a lot different than PAing sports.鈥欌��
Undeterred, Ingram persuaded Cumming to give announcing a try at a fall scrimmage, and the experience went well for all involved. Cumming has been the Voice of the Falcons for basketball games ever since; this means he鈥檚 working the microphone for as many as 25 games each winter. He also serves as a fill-in announcer for soccer, baseball, and lacrosse games.
Initially, Pfeiffer paid Cumming to announce. He eventually waived his fee, coming to view the job as one more way to serve his alma mater as an alumnus. He is also now a volunteer member of the University鈥檚 Sports Hall of Fame Committee.
A former student-athlete himself, on the men鈥檚 golf team, Cumming has walked the walk as a Falcon. He has also recruited many an alumnus to play for Pfeiffer. Before his appointment at Stanly Community College, he served the University as Vice President for Enrollment Management, meeting his wife Michelle McInturff Cumming 鈥�99 in the process.
鈥淚鈥檝e been around the Department of Athletics at Pfeiffer since I became a student in the fall of 1987,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, announcing was an easy thing to volunteer for, and it has turned out to be a great pastime. I enjoy supporting all the sports.鈥�
Cumming may view announcing as a fun activity, but he approaches it with a high degree of professionalism. This begins with preparation. Before each game, for example, he familiarizes himself with key information such as the names of opposing teams鈥� players and coaches, as well as who鈥檚 apt to get the most playing time. He arrives about an hour before each game so he can ask the coaches of opposing teams how to pronounce certain players鈥� names.
鈥淚 always want things to come off as seamlessly as possible during the game,鈥� he said.
During games, Cumming keeps his own stat sheet so he can report key developments about fouls etc. without delay. He also aims to 鈥渟tay out of the way and not be noticed鈥� — delivering only the most important information (mainly scoring plays and fouls) and doing it in a way that doesn鈥檛 draw undue attention.
鈥淭hat way, the spectators enjoy the game without distraction,鈥� he said.
The few exceptions to this approach happen when a Pfeiffer player enjoys unusual success on the court. When Pfeiffer guard Ty Black hit four three-pointers in a row during his team鈥檚 over N.C. Wesleyan, for example, Cumming announced it with an extra dose of enthusiasm, lingering over the 鈥測鈥� and 鈥渁鈥� in Black鈥檚 name.
Cumming said he鈥檒l continue to serve as PA announcer for basketball games and other sports 鈥渇or as long as they鈥檒l have me.鈥� His strong commitment is rooted in two reasons. The first: 鈥淚 have the best seat in the house. I鈥檓 10 feet from the action, and I鈥檝e loved sports all my life.鈥�
The second, more important reason, is a desire to show gratitude to Pfeiffer.
When Cumming enrolled at Pfeiffer, having attended Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., he was a bit apprehensive.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know anybody, and everybody seemed to know somebody,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was kind of on my own.鈥�
Like many other Pfeiffer students, though, Cumming quickly experienced 鈥渁 small school that took me in and made me feel comfortable.鈥�
鈥淚 got a wonderful experience academically and socially,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 just couldn’t have asked for a better college career. I had a great mentor in Jack Ingram and met lifelong friends along the way. Pfeiffer has enriched my life; PA announcing is just one very small way to give back to a school that has meant so much to me.鈥�