CLARION, Pa. – Longtime local sports broadcaster Mike Kalinowski, a Cochranton graduate and Commodore Perry teacher, will be inducted into the Clarion Sports Hall of Fame (formerly Clarion University Sports Hall of Fame) in a ceremony Friday, April 26, at PennWest Clarion’s Tippin Gym.
Kalinowski has been the voice of Clarion football for 31 seasons (1997 to 2023 – no season in 2020 due to COVID).
From 1997 to 2018, Kalinowski broadcast Clarion football on WCCR-FM (C-93) while simulcasts emanating from WKQW in Oil City began in 2014 and continued there through 2021. For the last two seasons, Kalinowski has been the online voice for Clarion football telecasts.
He partnered early on with future Clarion AD Dave Katis before doing games with Joe Lodanosky from 2008 to 2021. He also did some games with Pat Kahle.
One of the preeminent high school sports broadcasters in the area, Kalinowski called basketball games at WCCR starting in 1995 and football games starting in 2005 until 2018. Prior to calling football games, he was the sideline reporter for WCCR’s football coverage. Starting with the 2018 football season, Kalinowski, and long-time partner Bob Dunkle, moved to exploreClarion where he continues to broadcast to this day.
During his time at Clarion, Mike was the Marching Band announcer his freshman year (1987) under legendary band director Dr. Stanley Michalski and the football and basketball play-by-play announcer at student station WCUC-FM for five years (1987-92). He also served as the Sports Director at WCUC until earning his degree in Communication in 1992.
Following graduation, Kalinowski worked at WESA in Charleroi, WRKU Radio in Youngstown and did voice work for WDVE in Pittsburgh.
He came back to Clarion University and earned a degree in Education in 1996. Hired as an English teacher at Clarion-Limestone from 1997-2002, he moved on to teach English at Commodore Perry High School from 2002 – present.
In the Fall of 2023, Kalinowski received the PSAC’s ultimate award – The George Heaslip Award, honoring the top media professional in the entire PSAC for their service covering the PSAC. He has also won the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters (PAB) Awards in numerous categories, the Golden Apple Award, and the Teacher of the Year Award at Commodore Perry High.
A native of Cochranton and a 1987 Cochranton High grad, Mike resides in Clarion and has a daughter, Dorothy, and a son, Gregory.
ADDITIONAL INDUCTEES
Additional inductees in the Class of 2024, the 35th Hall of Fame Class include Barbara Buck (1984 – 1987 Women’s Volleyball), Jeff Golias (1979 – 1982 Football), Alfonso Hoggard (2007 – 2010 Football), Diane (Picking) Watson (1977 – 1979 Women’s Swimming) and David Shearer (1999 – 2002 Men’s Basketball).
Bios on them can be found here
