March 9 , 2005 Print this page

La Salle Graduate Michael Echan Wins Best College Sportswriting Award from Philadelphia Sportswriter’s Association

Originality is at a premium in sports coverage, where reporters rely heavily on clichés and all-too-obvious tactics to tell readers what they already know. La Salle graduate Michael Echan was able to transcend these dangers and develop his own perspective, and was recently named the best college sports journalist by the Philadelphia Sportswriter’s Association (PSWA) in a regional competition.

Echan, a sports editor for La Salle's student newspaper The
Collegian, submitted three articles to the PSWA contest, but is most
proud of his piece on junior forward and NBA prospect Steve Smith. “I knew he had been through a lot of things most college basketball players, especially elite players, usually never go through,” he says of his story, which touched upon Smith’s background and character. “I wanted to illustrate that he is more than just a player.”

A native of New Providence, New Jersey, Echan has corresponded with several professionals to improve himself. He often spoke with Wright Thompson, an award-winning journalist for the Kansas City Star, to get feedback. Thompson says Echan’s unique take on Smith is what made the article so engaging. “He was writing about a person…there was a certain empathy there,” Thompson commented, “he didn’t come to it with some preconceived idea…you could feel that he understood this guy.”

The recent graduate, who earned a B. A. degree majoring in Communication with a concentration in Mass Media Writing, certainly has a knack for establishing connections. “I think my ability to get the reader involved in the story helps a lot. I describe what I can about the game, [and] relay the atmosphere of the game the way I perceive it. A college basketball game is more than ten players, two hoops, and a ball.”

Frank Bertucci, a part-time professor at La Salle and PSWA member, considers the award a notable success for Echan’s alma mater. “It is a big deal for La Salle,” he remarked, “it shows how good the writing tracks are within the Communication and English departments.” (Echan is the second La Salle student to win this competition in the last three years.)

Echan gives credit to La Salle’s Director of Athletic Communications Kale Beers, with whom he worked closely. “Before, I was overly enthusiastic and made some bonehead moves,” Echan says of his development as a writer. “I credit him for not chewing me up, but pointing out my mistakes and helping me mature.”

Despite this accomplishment, Echan maintains that the achievement won’t change him. “I will always see my mistakes first, and work extremely hard to make sure I never make them again,” he says of his penchant for perfection.

Although his ultimate dream was to be a major league pitcher, Echan is confident that he will find his niche in the sports world. He is currently a part-time photographer for The Independent Press in New Providence, NJ, and is pursuing opportunities with the Washington Nationals, the Staten Island Yankees, and the NFL.

-- Andrew Lazor