KRFO’s Roy Koenig Shares Sports Memories with ‘Beyond the Game’

I enjoy interviewing athletes and coaches. It felt a little different to be fielding the questions from Todd Walkingstick who hosts Beyond the Game on Owatonnalive.com.

Todd invited me onto his show to talk about my back story in becoming the "Voice of OHS." I had an interest in sports from a young age. I played neighborhood baseball, football and boot hockey. As a better talker than player, I guess I knew my future in sports would come from that angle.

I worked at WMFG in Hibbing, Minn., while in high school. I went to the University of Minnesota for one year with a major in mass communications. After getting sidetracked into a regular job for about a year, I attended Brown Institute in the Twin Cities and landed a full time radio job in Madison, S.D.

In 1991, I found out about a job opening at KRFO. They asked if I knew how to do hockey on the air. I said, "yes" even though I had never covered it on the air before. Having grown up in northern Minnesota, I figured it was in my blood. I'm glad I wasn't asked if I knew how to cover wrestling on the radio. That might have scared me away at the time. But now after years of listening to Dale Benjamin and Larry Hovden, I really enjoyment the excitement of broadcasting wrestling.

The Halloween Blizzard of 1991 delayed my start in Owatonna by a few days, but even Mother Nature couldn't keep me away.

Todd and I talked about the different sports I cover, from preparing for games to some of the memorable team accomplishments I have had the pleasure to cover. I hope you enjoy the interview.

Todd does a great job of covering all the area schools and youth programs on Beyond the Game. So check back often as new interviews are posted each week.

See you at the gym or rink this winter.