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CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID
This feature is part of our series of profiles showcasing members throughout the CoSIDA membership during the celebration of CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week for 2019. See more features at CoSIDA.com/ThankYourSID.
Dean Caparaz – University of California, Assistant Athletic Communications Director
by Monyae Williamson – Western Illinois University, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications
From social media to graphic design and videography, the sports information field continues to evolve and change over time, but there is one aspect of the job that will never lose its importance. SIDs are storytellers, and whether it’s putting pen to paper or clicking away on a keyboard, writing is key.
Dean Caparaz knows this all too well.
He has been a sports journalist since his undergraduate days at the University of California when he was a sports reporter for The Daily Californian. He was then a writer and editor for publications like Soccer America magazine, The Associated Press, the Contra Costa Times, and the (now defunct) Rocky Mountain News; now for the last 15 years, he has served as an assistant athletic communications director at his alma mater.
One of his LinkedIn page endorsers wrote the following about Caparaz:
“Dean came on board and immediately made an impact on our program. Specifically, his attention to detail, eagerness to learn the intricacies of our sport and clear and concise writing, made a difference from recruiting to game day.”
Dean and his wife, Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, from the top of the Eiffel Tower this past summer.
Writing remains an integral aspect of our jobs and you have a solid background and vast experience in sports journalism. Is there a story or stories that you were most excited to write?
I've written about the United State Women’s National Soccer Team (USWMNT) capturing the 1999 Women's World Cup and reported on several men's and women's College Cups when I was an Associate Editor at Soccer America magazine, and I've covered various Cal teams/student-athletes winning national titles as an SID. But perhaps the story I was most excited to write was a recap of the No. 1 Cal women's tennis team's 4-3 regular-season victory over No. 7 Florida in the 2015-16 season, partly because I was at the match since it took place in Berkeley. (I didn't travel to see the women's tennis team win the ITA National Team Indoor Championship earlier that season.) There's definitely a different vibe when writing about an event that you work/witness in person than when writing about an event that you don't attend. With the former, you get to feel the tension in the match and hear, see and feel the passion in the coaches and players as they cheer each other on. And in that specific case, it helped that we won.
What advice do you have for young SIDs looking to build their writing skills for features and general releases? What's the key to good writing?
The key to good writing is to read a lot of other peoples' writing and to write a lot. Most SIDs don't write features and general releases well when they start, and it's beneficial to write often and in different forms (features, releases, recaps, etc.) particularly when you're young.
Announcing at one of the Cal’s 2017 home tennis matches.
You have been at your alma mater for over 15 years. Why did you decide to return and how has the journey been?
I decided to return to Cal somewhat out of necessity - I'd been laid off at my previous job, and, of course, because of my affinity for my alma mater. I was a big fan of Cal Athletics when I was an undergraduate English major here, and I covered Cal sports for one year as a reporter for The Daily Californian.
The journey has been fun, especially since I've been able to work with some truly special teams that have won national championships and individuals who won Olympic medals. These teams produced student-athletes who've also gone on to great things beyond Cal. My kids have also grown up around Cal Athletics and the Cal campus, and it's been cool to see how they've grown to love the Golden Bears.
What’s the biggest career lesson that you’ve learned?
If possible, find a workplace in which you get along with most of your colleagues.
Caparaz and his colleagues at a 2018 Cal SID outing to an Oakland A's game.
Is there an achievement or contribution that you are most proud of, work-related or personal?
Nothing compares to seeing my children succeed, in school, in athletics or in other aspects of life, so I'm most proud of my kids' achievements. My own achievements pale in comparison.
How do you have fun at work?
I enjoy holiday or other kinds of after-hours events with my colleagues, though those can be few and far between since we're all so busy. As a Cal alum, I'm also lucky that I get to enjoy watching Cal win in several sports, whether or not I'm working the events.
What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?
I like to sing karaoke.
What's one communications/social/PR tool that you could not live without and why?
I definitely could not live without my iPhone, since losing it would make it difficult to communicate with media, with other SIDs or with my student-athletes, coaches and colleagues. That also would slow down my ability to manage all of my teams' social media accounts and hamper my ability to keep track of my teams when they're on the road. Before I had a work cell phone, I somehow managed to complete my SID work ;) - but times have definitely changed!
Caparaz with his friend John Hooper at the 2018 RedBox Bowl.