First Time Abroad: Covering the Royals in Toronto and a Trip to Remember

On October 19, 2015, while working in Wichita, Kansas, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Toronto, Canada, to cover the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series. This was my first time leaving the country, and I vividly remember how long that first day of travel felt. We had a lengthy layover in Chicago, and I recall spotting Brian Griese at the airport after he had finished working a college football game.

When we finally boarded the plane to Toronto, I was handed a card asking if I had been on a farm or brought any fruit with me—just one of the little reminders that this was my first international trip. Going through customs was an adventure in itself. With all the camera gear we had, I remember being questioned by Canadian authorities about the purpose of our trip. It felt like we went through the process multiple times before finally retrieving our bags, which were packed with even more equipment. By the time we got to the hotel, it was well past midnight, East Coast time.

The three games we covered were all night games, making for some long workdays. We did live shots starting at noon and kept going all the way through the 10 p.m. broadcasts. I appreciated being inside the dome during that time because October in Toronto was chilly. Our hotel was right on Lake Ontario, which was beautiful, and I loved having a Tim Hortons nearby.

There was one funny moment when I got yelled at by one of the Royals' pitchers in the clubhouse. I was trying to get sound for an interview, but since I’m on the shorter side, I had to use a chair for a better angle—unfortunately, it happened to be his. Still, I did whatever I had to do to get a good interview!

One of the highlights of the trip came after the last game in Toronto, when the media and some VIPs were invited to a party. It was a fantastic time—I enjoyed trying different Canadian beers, and the food, especially the seafood, was amazing. Of all my TV news trips, this one ranks in my top three.