https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVaszqG4J68
For more than 20 years, Terry Wright has been a familiar voice in Central Illinois sports, bringing the excitement of Taylorville Tornadoes athletics to listeners across the area. In Episode 8 of Beyond the Banner, Wright is honored as a true “Friend of Sports” for his longtime dedication to local athletics and his continued service to the community.
A graduate of Pana High School, Wright began his association with Taylorville athletics in 1973 when he joined Keith Arnold as a color commentator on local radio broadcasts of area sporting events. The following year, Wright took over play-by-play duties for area schools while continuing to provide color commentary for Tornadoes games alongside new sports announcer Rick Doan.
In 1975, Wright was offered the position of sports director, opening the door to an even larger role in local sports. His responsibilities included morning sports updates six days a week, along with play-by-play, pregame and postgame coverage of Taylorville football and both boys and girls basketball.
Wright also developed the Saturday morning Sports Special Program, a program dedicated to reviewing weekend sports across the area and featuring live interviews with local players and coaches. He even took the program on the road, broadcasting live from the Illinois High School Basketball State Tournament in Champaign and interviewing prominent coaches such as Dolph Stanley and Virgil Fletcher.
During his more than two decades behind the microphone, Wright broadcast more than 200 Tornadoes football games and 500 Taylorville basketball games, becoming a recognizable and trusted voice for generations of local athletes and fans.
His contributions were recognized on a statewide level when he was selected to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in the media category in 1994.
But Wright’s impact goes beyond the numbers and the broadcasts. His passion for local athletes, coaches and communities has made him much more than a broadcaster. He has been a supporter, advocate and friend of Central Illinois sports for decades.
In Episode 8 of Beyond the Banner, Dave McCoy sits down with Terry Wright to look back on an incredible career, the people and moments that shaped it, and the lasting impact Wright has made on Taylorville athletics.
Tune in to Episode 8 of Beyond the Banner and hear the story of a true Friend of Sports.
