Nick Hughes
After years of tackling it out on the football field, shooting hoops on the court, knocking the ball out of the park, and plucking the violin, Nick Hughes holds a strong passion for both sports and music. After three years of playing varsity in high school, he was eventually cut from the basketball team. Although this was a bit of a tough pill to swallow, Hughes found himself taking on a new interest that would later fuel his passion for sports radio broadcasting. He decided that if he couldn’t play the sport, he still wanted to be involved in some way. However, to Nick’s close friends and family, this choice in a career path may have came as a bit of a surprise.
“Growing up, I was the shy kid,” says Nick when recalling his high school years.
“I always stayed by the back wall and didn’t really get involved.” Hughes held this mentality for some time, however, after taking a break from the sports, he soon adopted a mentality that he still carries with him today.
“I had the realization that it does not matter what anybody thinks of you. If you’re having fun, that’s all that matters.”
Soon after adopting this newfound confidence, Hughes left his hometown in San Atonio Texas and set out to Olivet where he would major in multimedia communications and pursue his new interest in radio broadcasting. He is now an employee for Shine.fm, a widespread Christian radio station, run primarily by Olivet student and faculty, and will be calling at various athletic games throughout the school year. Nick hopes to continue to refine both his sports broadcasting skills and his technical understanding of sports in order to one day work for ESPN as a full time sports broadcaster.
“I hope to one day report on sports because sports are a huge passion of mine.”
While sports are clearly a huge part of Nick’s life, he also has some tricks up his sleeve outside of the athletic realm. At a young age, Hughes took up piano lessons. However, after moving away and losing contact with his teacher, he became interested in the violin, and later, the guitar. Although he didn’t actually pick up the guitar much, he did become well skilled in violin and played in his high school orchestra for nine years. His passion and talent for music comes primarily from his mother, who had sang for many years while Hughes was growing up.
Aside from his passion for sports, and music, Nick is also known by many for his kind personality, contagious confidence, and excellent sense of humor. Hughes says he makes it his goal to include everyone.
“I strive to make everyone happy in every situation that I am in.” Nick’s close, long term friend, Gabby Way provided a bit more insight about who Hughes is outside of his academic commitments and extra curricular activities. According to Way, after only a short time of hanging out with Hughes, one can quickly pick up on his friendly personality and relational intentionality, two qualities that make him an excellent guy and an even greater friend. In the future, Hughes hopes to be successful and have a beautiful family.
