"Five Questions" is a series here on Arizona Varsity geared to help our readers get to know some of the most integral and impactful personalities in and around sports in Arizona.
Today's subject: Eric Sorenson of Sports360AZ.com. Eric is a fantastic storyteller and an even better friend. He's hit every corner of the state to capture human interest stories and document the accomplishments of some of the state's most interesting and under-reported on athletes. His weekly Zone Read columns are a must for any Arizona high school sports fan. Give Eric a follow on Twitter.
What was your path to getting into sports media? I know that you haven't always covered high school athletics, so how did storytelling in the prep sports arena become something you were passionate about?
"In high school at Arcadia I worked on the newspaper staff, as well as did a little freelance work for the then-Scottsdale Progress (now, obviously, the East Valley Tribune). In college I pivoted my major and focus into Radio/Television/Film. So when I graduated from TCU, I figured I'd give radio a try. A girl I graduated with at Arcadia, her father was, at the time, the General Manager at KTAR so I dropped off my first resume and started by working in the mailroom.
I eventually was hired full-time to produce the Diamondbacks and Suns pre/post game show and "The 620 SportsLine."
As I got older, I found a much greater appreciation and connection to telling stories than I did reading box scores, so combined that with my love for high school athletics. There are so many incredible stories to tell and too few people to tell them here in Arizona. "
You're as much of an all-Arizona guy as I've ever been around, but you went to school at Texas Christian. How did you end up a student in Texas, and what was this last year like rooting for a team that made the national championship?
"So, my mom was an elementary school teacher for many years here in the Valley and, after spending my freshman and sophomore year at Yavapai College in Prescott, I was looking for an out-of-state school to transfer to. She was at a workshop conference where the keynote speaker was a TCU journalism professor. After the event, she approached him and expressed my interest in pursuing that field. They swapped information and shortly thereafter, TCU began sending me mailers every few weeks. I was friends with a girl I went to Arcadia with who was at TCU so she was able to host me when I took my initial tour. I enjoyed the fact that it was a small school in a big city and, oddly enough, loved the Horned Frog mascot and the fact that TCU was the only football program in the then-Southwest Conference to play on natural grass at the time."
What are some of your favorite story subjects or athletes that you've covered in your time with Sports360AZ?
"Too many to name but here's a few: Bijan Robinson, Duce Robinson, Daniel Bridge-Gadd's blossoming career in comedy, the amazing journey of Majok Deng, Ali Zelaya and her passion for art, Keegan Freid's piano playing, Flagstaff defensive lineman Javon Tachoney making the 160-mile round trip daily drive from Window Rock to Flag to be a part of the Eagles' football team during COVID after the school shut down their dorms during the pandemic. So many fascinating tales that go well beyond their successes in prep athletics.
The community of prep sports reporters in Arizona is unique, and Sports360AZ has been at the forefront of developing extremely talented mixed media journalists. What has the last decade been like alongside Brad Cesmat, and helping implement his vision for a company that was really the first of its kind in Arizona?
"One of the qualities I respect most about Brad is he isn't afraid to chase his vision, then follow it, even if others don't see it. We were doing weekly fantasy football segments with Michael Fabiano, and sports betting interviews with Jimmy Vaccaro more than a decade ago - long before it became "accepted" by traditional media brands. When he started Sports360AZ, he told me I'd learn how to shoot and edit video, be on camera, and other multimedia skill sets I never dreamt I'd learn. Brad has done a tremendous job of learning to be a CEO on the fly, pivoting when necessary, but never compromising the local-first brand of the company."
You're a notorious foodie. If someone was coming to Arizona and only had time to hit five restaurants, what should they be?
"Food - another one of my favorite topics! Here are my five: Welcome Diner in downtown Phoenix, Raceway Bar and Grill in Maricopa, Rosa's in Prescott, Paradise Valley Burger in north Phoenix, and Tucson's Sakura - never disappoints!"
