Editor's Note: This is the first article in a new Summerville Journal Scene series focusing on people who are involved with sports, but who are not necessarily athletes. They are the people who typically can be found beyond the boundary lines.
Richie Altman has brought the Green Wave back to the airwaves.
For years Summerville High School fans wanting to follow the Green Wave Football team, but not wanting to get out in the weather or the Friday night crowd, could listen to games on the radio. But after broadcasters such as Bill Hallman and Bo Blanton gave up providing Green Wave coverage and commentary the broadcasts stopped.
Realizing this disappointed some faithful SHS fans, Altman decided to do something about it.
“Summerville wasn’t on the radio and that bothered me,” Altman said. “I became part of the Green Wave family when Coach McKissick was chasing his 600th win so I felt obligated to fix that so I came back and brought my radio show with me.”
Altman first moved to the Lowcountry after college. His passions include sports and broadcasting, so approximately five years ago he and a friend created their own digital broadcasting show, "Southern Sports Central." He was also part of the WLCN television crew that aired Green Wave Football games back in 2012 when Coach John McKissick notched his 600th coaching win.
After the television station stopped broadcasting football games, Altman moved back to his hometown of Socastee. However, after only nine months he returned to Summerville, where his ex-wife and four kids live.
He began broadcasting SHS athletic games through Southern Sports Central during the football playoffs last year and went on to broadcast basketball and baseball games.
This school year, he leads a crew that is broadcasting all Green Wave varsity football games both through Southern Sports Central and ESPN Radio (98.9 FM). Former Green Wave coach Chris Digby has joined the crew to help Altman with commentary. Simultaneously, the crew sends out video and other digital content through the Southern Sports Central Twitter feed.
Each week, Altman also does live shows that focus not just on Green Wave athletics, but also on state and national sports topics. The shows air from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday and from 7-9 a.m. Wednesday and Friday at southernsportscnetral.com. You can also find the show through Facebook, twitter and Blog Talk Radio.
“It’s a good wholesome show and it’s all from the heart,” Altman said. “I’ll talk about anything from religion, to life, to sports, but we don’t talk politics. I’ll leave the politics to someone else. I believe I’m doing my show for the right reasons.”
Wednesday morning shows focus primarily on high school sports.
“I’m here as an entertainment opportunity but also an information highway for these young athletes so they can get their information out and their story told,” Altman said. “It puts a smile on your face when these kids look at you and you feel like you are making an impression and helping them achieve some of their goals. That’s why I do it.”
Summerville, with its rich athletic traditions, is a good fit for a sportscaster.
“I’m just excited about being a part of all this,” he said. “I interview the players and the coaches and take a lot of pride in getting to know everyone from the guys on the chain gang, to the medical staff on the field, to people in the community. I’m excited to be back. I tell people as a child I grew up in Myrtle Beach and as an adult I grew up in Summerville. The lessons I’ve learned as an adult have all came through Summerville.”
Altman was a record-setting pitcher for Socastee High School. He was looking to do big things for the Gamecocks’ Baseball team, but an injury ended his career on the hill. Today, he stays connected to the game by coaching youth baseball.
He said his show has been pinged from as far away as Afghanistan and he feels fortunate to be living in the digital age.
“I can open an opportunity for the grandfather in Tennessee whose grandson plays here,” Altman said. “Now that grandfather can listen to his grandson’s games. We are opening the door for college coaches to see players like Johnathan Bennett or Dakereon Joyner. All they have to do now is turn on their laptop and watch the film. Even if they don’t care about hearing me, they are able to see that game film.”
His list of broadcasting influences include Keith Jackson and Bobby Hartin. Recently, Altman had the opportunity to be a part of Hartin’s show "Fan Talk."
“When I moved here, I started listening to Bobby Hartin and a lot of what I’m doing now is because I listened to him,” Altman said. “You can hear the passion in his voice and to sit beside the guy I enjoyed listening to so much means a lot to me. I’m a big fan of Keith Jackson who used to be on CBS Sports. His voice, attitude, everything across the board, was just A1A.”
