Retiring WRUF Icon Russell Leaving Lasting Impact at UF, CJC

Ever since he was a kid, Steve Russell only wanted to do three things: be a professional baseball player, be a coach or be a teacher.

He realized early on that professional baseball wasn’t in the cards for him, so he needed to find another way to combine his love of sports with his aspiration to coach and teach. After several years as a sports anchor in Gainesville and 10 years as the public information officer for Alachua County, he finally found a way to balance his interests in one job.

“When the call came to take the job at WRUF, I couldn’t pass it up,” Russell said. “I’m really glad I didn’t.”

Russell, who is from Middletown, New York, was hired as the station’s sports director in 1998 and given the responsibility of hosting the “Sportscene with Steve Russell” talk show along with teaching sports broadcasting. At the time, “Sportscene” had just been established. Russell said the station’s general manager at the time, Bob Clarke, said the show should be the main priority over teaching, but there was something that changed that for Russell.

“I’ll tell you what changed that for me,” Russell said. “There was a young man here named Robbie Curry.”

Curry was a student at the University of Florida who was permanently in a wheelchair due to his disability. It was the first time Russell had a student with a disability. Back then, the newsroom only had 10 seats and none was equipped with accommodations for someone with a disability.

“I went to the school [on Curry’s behalf],” said Russell, who himself graduated from the College of Journalism and Communications. “I told them I didn’t care what they did, but they were going to make an accommodation for him. He deserved to be here. He was no different than anybody else.”

Curry went on to earn his degree in Telecommunication, graduating with honors in 2002. From then on, educating students and providing them with the best opportunities became Russell’s priority.

In 2020, the family of Curry, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 42, created the Robert Curry and Steve Russell Scholarship for CJC students who are registered with UF’s Disability Resource Center, with a preference for students who want to pursue sports journalism. The family wanted to include Russell’s name in the scholarship because of his work with Robbie and countless other students.

After nearly 27 years at CJC and WRUF, Russell is retiring this week. His final “Sportscene” show will be Dec. 17. But his impact at the CJC will be long-lasting.

Russell used his decades of experience to guide and prepare students as they began their careers in sports broadcasting, journalism and media.

“I went through it,” said Russell, who had worked in the broadcast industry in Gainesville since the 1970s. “I understood the work it took. I understood the preparation it took, and I tried to let our students know that.”

In order to make sure students were able to get reps in and create content for their portfolios, Russell began creating immersion experiences within the College that students could sign up for in addition to their classes. These immersion experiences teach students how to interview, edit and produce for print, broadcast and digital environments.

“When students come here, this is their first job,” Russell said. “This is, in reality, their first job. They have to know the Gainesville market, they have to know the teams that are here, the high schools that are here.”

As the years have gone by, these jobs have changed. When Russell began as sports director, they still used reel-to-reel tape and push-button phones for interviews. With most sports information being consumed in the form of social media now, Russell had to change his approach to teaching.

Students are no longer confined to being just a writer or just a sideline reporter. Now they are encouraged to combine all of these skills and know how to film, edit, write and perform on camera.

“You have to adapt,” said Russell, who also has worked for the University Athletic Association as a radio analyst for the Gators baseball team. “You have to learn new things and you have to also understand what makes students today. You have to understand them, what they want and you sometimes have to tailor what you do to their individual needs.”

By adapting, Russell has been able to make an impact on students throughout his nearly three decades at WRUF.

“Steve is the reason I have the career I have today,” ESPN host Laura Rutledge said. “He would hold us to the highest standard which allowed for great prep at the next level.”

Rutledge attended Florida from 2008-11. She hosts ESPN’s daily show, “NFL Live,” Monday through Friday and is the host of the SEC Network program “SEC Nation.”  She is one of a number of students mentored by Russell who have gone on to have flourishing careers in the media industry, a list that includes Erin Andrews (FOX Sports NFL sideline and feature reporter), Chris Kirschner (New York Yankees beat reporter for The Athletic), Kristina Pink (FOX Sports NFL sideline reporter) and Trevor Sikkema (NFL Draft Analyst-Pro Football Focus).

“I’m so thankful for his time and commitment to me as I learned and failed many times early on,” Rutledge said. “I still reference so much of the advice and help he gave me back in college today.”

Russell said he is proud of all his students.

“Nothing excites me more, nothing makes me prouder or happier than seeing our students leave here and get work in our business.  That’s what I’m here for,” Russell said.

Even as he ends his career as a full-time teacher, Russell has not let up on trying to make an impact on his students.

“Steve is the reason why I feel confident in my sports writing and talking on air,” second-year Journalism student Heather Mckenzie said.

In her first year at UF, Mckenzie decided to join the ESPN Gainesville immersion experience. She is looking to go into sports media and is thankful for the knowledge she has gained while working with Russell for the past year and a half.

“These programs have set me apart from others,” Mckenzie said. “They have allowed me to get hands-on experience in the field. Classes teach you how to write sports articles, but the immersion experiences with Steve allow you to have hands-on experience and make mistakes that help you learn for your future career.”

After almost three decades of helping students prepare for their future, Russell has decided to retire from his position as sports director at WRUF.

“[Retiring] was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in my life,” Russell said. “You know when you work some place for 27 years, there’s a reason you do, because most of the time it’s actually an enjoyable thing to do.”

The decision to step away came after discussions with his family. Russell said he will miss teaching, but is looking forward to having some more free time to spend with his family.

“I finally came to the realization that it’s going to end,” Russell said. “My next chapter will start, but I will always cherish this place.”