Greetings Brewers fans! My name is Trenni Kusnierek and I’m the newest member of the FSN Wisconsin family. I will be joining Brian, Bill, Craig, and Davey this season as the reporter with the brew crew. I’ll be a part of the pre and post game shows as well as roaming the stadiums and trying to see the things Brian and Bill can’t from the broadcast booth. I’ll also be in charge of “manning” the myspace page and I’m going to do everything I can to make it more interactive and informative with “inside” information. If you have a suggestion, I’d love to hear it! I wanted to take this time to introduce myself and give you a little background on my career. I am a graduate of Marquette University with a degree in broadcast and electronic communications and a minor in English. I started my television career at the age of 19 at WISN (Channel 12 for you ‘Milwaukeeans’!) as an associate producer and weekend assignment editor. Basically, I ran the telepromter, got dinner for the anchors, wrote news stories for the 5, 6, and 10, and helped decipher what stories would be best to cover. It was an invaluable experience! My first “on air” job was at WQOW in Eau Claire, next I landed at CBS 58, and most recently I was at FSN in Pittsburgh where I traveled with the Pirates, Penguins, and Steelers. I’ve also had the opportunity to do sidelines for ABC college sports, the Big Ten Network, and report for the NFL Network.
I think the most common question I’ve received since my return, is why I chose to come back to Milwaukee. It was a long process, but in the end, I believe it was the perfect decision. Long story short, I really wanted to live in a city I love and work with the team I grew up rooting for. (I have an odd love affair with New York City, but something tells me the Brewers aren’t moving there any time soon!) Add in the fact the Brewers are a top notch, young organization with great ownership, and I was sold. Plus, I loved watching Brewers broadcasts when I was away. Brian, Bill, Craig, and Davey always seem to be having a blast. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that? There are very few people out there who can say they’re “living the dream”, but I think I’m one of them.
My hope is I can add to an already stellar broadcast team and not get in the way! I’ve learned my lesson about lights in the stands (2000 season) and think I’ll be able to bring a dynamic to the broadcast that wasn’t possible before. I’m not sure the average viewer knows how much work goes into preparing for each game, each series. Between production meetings, manager interviews, player interviews, brainstorming, reading up on our team and the opponent, it’s hard to cover all the bases. I’m hoping to fill in the blanks and take some of the load off the boys! My goal is to ask questions and bring insights that the average fan has on their mind. After all, I’m pretty much the on-camera version of the average fan. The only difference, I went to school and spent hours in internships learning how to ask the right questions (sometimes) and deciphering what is useful versus useless information! I’m not big on fluff, but don’t be surprised if you find me interviewing a guy who caught a big home run ball, or finding a way to run the sausage race. I’ll be the Polish. It’s a Milwaukee girls dream come true…
I would however, like Brewers nation to know I’m not all brats, beer, and baseball. I will absolutely take in a game on my off day, but I’m also just as likely to hit up the Milwaukee Art Museum or spend an afternoon drinking coffee and reading the NYT, the New Yorker, or a great book. (I’m currently reading Huston Smith’s ‘The World’s Religions’.) I’m also an avid traveler who loves to visit international destinations. My wish list currently includes a safari in Africa, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and hiking Machu Piccu in Peru. Also on my ‘bucket list’ is to make a documentary. I think one of the great things about journalism is the ability to speak for those who don’t have a voice, and filmmaking seems to be an amazing way to do that. Last, but certainly not least, I’m a crazy runner! I’ve completed two marathons and countless other races. My hope is to qualify for the Boston marathon with a great race this fall. I’d love any distance racing advice!
Enough about me! I am really looking forward to talking baseball and any other topic that comes to mind this season. I think this Brewers squad has a legitimate chance to once again be a contender and I’m honored to be a part of it. Let’s go Crew!
-Trenni
