Van Tate

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People go to games for entertainment. I get to go because it is my job. Covering sports in New Mexico has brought me great joy for almost two decades. Watching the athletes grow into adults and following their careers is always very interesting. The Journey started for me when I was a kid. I watched news and read the paper like my life depended on it. I didn't know how much so until I was an adult. After getting my first job in the business, my mother played a recording for me that I made as a kid. It was called "The Creepy Scary News". Yours truly was the host. Imagine that I made up my own newscast as a kid. There is something weird about that.

My first job was at KGGM. It's the same station we know today as KRQE. This is my second time working for KGGM/KRQE. I was hired right out of college after receiving my B.A. degree in Broadcast Journalism. The job was overnight news photographer for news but I would always find a way to slip into the sports office and help out. I found a way to put together a few sports features. The weekend anchor at the time saw my work and put it in his show. I thought he would be fired but the News Director called after the show to say I need to do stories more often. The rest is history. I was hired to report news and sports at KBIM in Roswell two years after my first job.

My first all sports job would come two years later at WSAV in Savannah, Georgia. After one year in Savannah it looked like I was on my way to KVUE in Austin, Texas but my former employer called, KRQE. They wanted me to come back. I said yes. The journey has been interesting and prosperous with Sportscaster of the Year awards and other accolades through the years.

New Mexico has been good to our family. My wife Harrellette and sons Jordan and Ryan are all fans of the state. Keeping up with them and covering sports makes for a busy life. There is time to exercise and eat cake. Maybe a bad combination but, it sure is fun.