Mr. Robbins
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"All television is educational television. The question is:
what is it teaching?"
- Nicholas Johnson
Mr. Robbins Biography:
Mr. Robbins begins his ninth year as a member of the faculty here at Watertown High School. He is responsible for teaching a variety of courses in Digital Media & Communications, including Digital Video Making, Studio Television Broadcasting, Radio Broadcasting, Radio & TV News Broadcasting, The Game of Life: The Art of Communication, and the Advanced Radio/Television Broadcasting Capstone. Mr. Robbins also advises and empowers students looking to pursue creating broadcast quality coverage of WHS athletics, music / theater performances, and any other WHS or community event that peaks their interest.
Mr. R is a graduate of Leominster High School in Central Massachusetts. On the third day of his freshman year at LHS, he began pursuit of his dream to become a television sports play-by-play announcer ultimately covering over 250 sports and community events for Leominster Access Television (LeominsterTV) in his four years as a student at LHS, graduating having earned the nickname "The Voice of the Blue Devils" a title that he maintains even to this day. The pursuit continued at Syracuse University where he would graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor concentration in Communications & Rhetorical Studies. During his undergrad years at SU, Mr. R, would cover Orange Women's Athletics as Sports Director of WJPZ-FM and also found webcast play-by-play of the Orange Women's Softball team for SUAthletics.com.
Culminating in 2022, Mr. R advanced his educational pursuits further, graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a Master's of Science in Sport Administration and the UCSPAD Faculty awarded him the designation of the 2022 Outstanding Graduate Student in the department. Mr. R focused his master's studies on interscholastic athletics with aspirations to serve as an Athletic Director at the high school level and obtained further training and certification from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) earning the designation of Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA) in 2021.
His first professional broadcasting opportunity came by returning to where he began in Central Massachusetts hired by WPKZ AM1280 & 105.3FM to anchor the station's coverage of Leominster High School Football and later co-hosting and providing news updates on the station's morning drive programming. Mr. R would eventually develop a partnership between WPKZ and LeominsterTV for live simulcast radio and television broadcasts of Blue Devil Football. He also covers High School Football, Basketball, and a variety of other sports and their championships for Rivalry|Family|Media, a streaming media brand which he co-founded. He has also previously served as the News Director for "The Voice of the Valley" 980 WCAP in Lowell, Massachusetts. (Learn more about Mr. Robbins' broadcast career at his broadcast website http://www.toddrobbins.us)
While chasing his broadcast dreams, Mr. R began to develop his love of teaching, serving as a substitute teacher for Leominster Public Schools, Fitchburg Public Schools, and Lexington Public Schools.
Mr. R has been recognized for excellence in the field of on-air broadcasting, twice named the "Best in Sports Play-by-Play" in 2014 & 2019 by the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association (MBA). The MBA also selected Mr. R as a Play-by-Play Merit Award winner in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, & 2021. LeominsterTV has also recognized Mr. R, as the 2013 On-Air Personality of the Year. In 2018, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of Blue Devil Football on LeominsterTV, Mr. R was honored as the 8th inductee all-time in the LeominsterTV Hall of Fame.
Prior to his retirement, when away from his studio classroom and not on-air broadcasting athletics or news events, Mr. Robbins was found on softball fields across the country officiating at the nation's highest levels of fastpitch softball for both the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Pro Fastpitch (NPF). Mr. R was often seen on national television officiating the NPF Game of the Week package on CBS Sports Network. During the 2015 and 2016 summer seasons, Mr. R was selected to officiate the National Pro Fastpitch Championship at Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama and Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama respectively.
Mr. R is a graduate of Leominster High School in Central Massachusetts. On the third day of his freshman year at LHS, he began pursuit of his dream to become a television sports play-by-play announcer ultimately covering over 250 sports and community events for Leominster Access Television (LeominsterTV) in his four years as a student at LHS, graduating having earned the nickname "The Voice of the Blue Devils" a title that he maintains even to this day. The pursuit continued at Syracuse University where he would graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor concentration in Communications & Rhetorical Studies. During his undergrad years at SU, Mr. R, would cover Orange Women's Athletics as Sports Director of WJPZ-FM and also found webcast play-by-play of the Orange Women's Softball team for SUAthletics.com.
Culminating in 2022, Mr. R advanced his educational pursuits further, graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a Master's of Science in Sport Administration and the UCSPAD Faculty awarded him the designation of the 2022 Outstanding Graduate Student in the department. Mr. R focused his master's studies on interscholastic athletics with aspirations to serve as an Athletic Director at the high school level and obtained further training and certification from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) earning the designation of Registered Athletic Administrator (RAA) in 2021.
His first professional broadcasting opportunity came by returning to where he began in Central Massachusetts hired by WPKZ AM1280 & 105.3FM to anchor the station's coverage of Leominster High School Football and later co-hosting and providing news updates on the station's morning drive programming. Mr. R would eventually develop a partnership between WPKZ and LeominsterTV for live simulcast radio and television broadcasts of Blue Devil Football. He also covers High School Football, Basketball, and a variety of other sports and their championships for Rivalry|Family|Media, a streaming media brand which he co-founded. He has also previously served as the News Director for "The Voice of the Valley" 980 WCAP in Lowell, Massachusetts. (Learn more about Mr. Robbins' broadcast career at his broadcast website http://www.toddrobbins.us)
While chasing his broadcast dreams, Mr. R began to develop his love of teaching, serving as a substitute teacher for Leominster Public Schools, Fitchburg Public Schools, and Lexington Public Schools.
Mr. R has been recognized for excellence in the field of on-air broadcasting, twice named the "Best in Sports Play-by-Play" in 2014 & 2019 by the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association (MBA). The MBA also selected Mr. R as a Play-by-Play Merit Award winner in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, & 2021. LeominsterTV has also recognized Mr. R, as the 2013 On-Air Personality of the Year. In 2018, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of Blue Devil Football on LeominsterTV, Mr. R was honored as the 8th inductee all-time in the LeominsterTV Hall of Fame.
Prior to his retirement, when away from his studio classroom and not on-air broadcasting athletics or news events, Mr. Robbins was found on softball fields across the country officiating at the nation's highest levels of fastpitch softball for both the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Pro Fastpitch (NPF). Mr. R was often seen on national television officiating the NPF Game of the Week package on CBS Sports Network. During the 2015 and 2016 summer seasons, Mr. R was selected to officiate the National Pro Fastpitch Championship at Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama and Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama respectively.
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What I did on my Summer Vacation 2019!!! |
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What I did on my Summer Vacation 2018!!! |
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What I did on my Summer Vacation 2017!!! |
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What I did on my Summer Vacation 2016!!! |
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What I did on my Summer Vacation 2015!!!
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Mr. R AWARDED 2019 MBA BEST in SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY!!!
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(November 14, 2019) The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association celebrated their annual "Sound Bites" Awards banquet at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. The MBA for the 6th consecutive year recognized Todd Robbins "The Voice of the Classic" on The K-ZONE, WPKZ AM1280 & 105.3FM with their 2019 award for "Best in Sports Play-by-Play" for his coverage of "The 113th Thanksgiving Day Classic on The K-Zone." 2019 is TR's second time being awarded the year's best play-by-play plaque having previously won in 2014. TR said of his second time being named "The Best", "To be named 'The Best in Sports Play-by-Play' for a second time is the continuation of an amazing dream come true. Six straight years being honored, speaks to the quality, strength, entertainment value, and consistency of our team. 1st Place (2014 & 2019) and 4 2nd Place finishes ('15, '16, '17, '18), I cannot say thank you enough to my fantastic team of Kate, Billy, and Derek. We will be back to continue the streak as we look forward to competing again in 2020." Todd and Kate Robbins were also recognized with a Merit Award for "Excellence in Sound" for "A Player's Voice" a weekly in-game feature of player introductions of Leominster and Fitchburg Athletes using the players' own voices. The MBA "Sound Bite" Awards are awarded annually to the best radio and television stations and broadcasters in Massachusetts as selected by a neutral and non-partisan state panel (Idaho Broadcasters Association for 2019). The long time "Voice of the Blue Devils," TR is celebrating his 10th anniversary as the high school football play-by-play announcer for The K-ZONE, WPKZ AM1280 & 105.3FM of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Listen to TR's 2019 MBA "Best in Sports Play-by-Play" submission below:
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(11/14/2019) MBA Executive Director Jordan Walton presenting Mr. Robbins the 2019 MBA Sound Bite Award for "Best in Sports Play-by-Play" inside the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center Framingham, MA.
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Mr. R AWARDED 2014 MBA SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY OF THE YEAR!!!
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(October 29, 2014) The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association celebrated their 60th Diamond Anniversary at their annual "Sound Bites" Awards banquet at "The Verve" inside the Crown Plaza Hotel in Natick Massachusetts. The MBA announced Todd Robbins "The Voice of the Blue Devils" of WPKZ AM1280 & 105.3FM as their 2014 Sports Play-by-Play Announcer of the Year for his coverage of "Leominster High School Football on WPKZ." TR bested many in a tough category, including legendary runner-up Joe Castiglione of the WEEI Red Sox Radio Network. MBA Executive Director Jordan Walton said of the winning call "sounded like a hell of a game!" The MBA "Sound Bite" Awards are awarded annually to the best radio and television stations and broadcasters in Massachusetts as selected by a neutral and non-partisan state panel (Wyoming Broadcasters Association). The long time "Voice of the Blue Devils," TR is celebrating his 5th anniversary as the high school football play-by-play announcer for WPKZ AM1280 & 105.3FM of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Listen to TR's MBA winning "Sound Bite" below:
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(10/29/2014) Todd with WPKZ Owner/General Manager Bill Macek holding the 2014 MBA Award for Sports Play-by-Play of the Year at "The Verve" inside the Crown Plaza Hotel Natick, MA.
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Mr. Robbins, Digital Media & Communications, Watertown High School, 50 Columbia Street, Watertown, MA 02472