Sporting Life - Westminster College

www.westminster.eduLiving the Sporting LifeBy Joe Onderko M’00[Editor’s Note: Joe Onderko has followed the career paths of thesealumni with more than a passing interest. Westminster’s sportsinformation director since 1995, Onderko has not only tirelesslypublicized the successes of the College’s athletic programs for morethan a decade, but he has also mentored a new generation of sportscommunications professionals, including the four main subjects featuredin the following story. Onderko modestly declined to highlighthis own contributions in this story, but his impact on their trainingand subsequent success cannot be denied. – PSB]SSitting in his spacious office atthe Pittsburgh Steelers trainingcomplex, located on the onetimesite of a steel mill on thesouthern shore of the MonongahelaRiver, a smile creases the face ofBurt Lauten ’99.He is less that two weeks removed from the greatest experienceof his professional life – witnessing firsthand his National FootballLeague (NFL) employer capture the long-elusive “One for theThumb” with a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at SuperBowl XL. Now, reflecting on that moment, he is asked where hewas and what he remembers of Pittsburgh’s last Super Bowl win (a31-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in 1980). Lauten tries tosuppress a laugh before answering.“I’m pretty sure I was at home, but I don’t recall anything aboutthe game,” he noted with a sheepish grin. “I was three years old atthe time.”His age firmly established, the lifelong Steelers fan did have amuch greater recollection of the team’s last Super Bowl appearanceprior to this season, a 27-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 1996.“I was a freshman at Westminster, being rushed by Sigma Phi Epsilonfraternity, so I watched the game with a group of friends at anapartment above Prima’s restaurant (now Pizza Joe’s). The thoughtthat I might be working for the Steelers someday and be presentwhen they finally got another Super Bowl ring was unthinkable – itwasn’t even something I dreamed about.“As a freshman, I didn’t know what I was going to do the nextday, let alone in my career.”Lauten just completed his first season as public relations/mediamanager for the Steelers after working the previous six years in thecollege sports information field. He is one of a growing numberof Westminster graduates who in recent years have chosen to pursuecareers in the athletic communications field, either working aspublic relations professionals for collegiate and professional sportsteams, or working for media companies themselves in PR capacities.Todd Lepovsky ’03 is in his second season as manager of media relationsfor the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Lepovsky served two internships withthe Penguins while at Westminster, helping him snare a full-time job withthe club after graduation.While each brings a different story and a unique career path, theyshare a strong liberal arts background and a deep respect for theiralma mater, which not only helped them develop and reach theircareer goals, but also helped to shape them as people.* * *Like Lauten, Todd Lepovsky ’03 serves as a PR person for aprofessional sports team in the city of Pittsburgh. But there won’tbe a championship in the cards for him this year.Lepovsky is in his second year as manager of media relationsfor the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).The 2005-2006 season began with great promise and had Penguinsfans hoping for a return to the early-1990s Stanley Cup glory daysof the franchise. The Pens were among the biggest spenders in thepost-lockout free-agent frenzy, and they acquired the top pick inthe draft, which they used to select teen phenom Sidney Crosby.20 Winte r 20 06 • Wes tminste r C ollege Magazine