Reality TV show Drafted may grant Justin Kelly his dream job
Justin Kelly has dreamed of being a sportscaster for about as long as he can remember. This summer, he might just get his chance.
Kelly is one of 24 finalists to be selected to Drafted, a reality TV show on Sportsnet that turns getting a job into a contest in the quest for Canada’s freshest face in sports broadcasting.
The show, returning for its fifth season, selects aspiring sportscasters from across Canada who have auditioned online for the job of a lifetime – a one-year contract to work for a national sports television network as its newest sportscaster, as well as a one-year spokesperson contract with Gillette.
“I’m a sports guy and I grew up playing sports, and this really is something I’ve watched through the years and I’ve daydreamed about and want, so to get this sort of opportunity and take a chance at it, it’s really exciting,” says Kelly. “I can’t even tell you how excited I was to get the call and how much I’m looking forward to going to this bootcamp, and hopefully it turns out to be a really positive experience.”
Kelly, a 30-year-old Oak Bay resident, tried out for the competition two years ago, but didn’t make the first cut. This year, he’s hoping his lifetime worth of sports knowledge will help him collect votes online for a bit of “immunity.” Two contestants are selected solely through online voting, while the remaining four spots are carefully selected by an expert judging panel.
Now, Kelly says his mission will be to devote his life to studying his favourite topic before the competitive “bootcamp” takes place in Toronto on Aug. 7. If he makes it into the top six from there, he’ll be only steps away from his dream job. But the competition won’t be easy. For the first time, Victoria has three contestants in the final 24 — Kelly, Courtney Hutchings and Teddy Jenner.
“I’m a big outdoors guy, I grew up playing hockey and played basketball at Concordia College for three years,” Kelly says. “Being active and being outside is a big part of my life. I’m a firm believer that having a healthy body is all part of it, so I run nearly every day, I work out, I play sports, camp and just really love being outside and living it.”
Vote in your favourite potential sportscaster by visiting drafted.ca.
news@mondaymag.com