Deacon Sports Xtra: Kobos Continues Lasting Legacy in Broadcast Field
3/23/2021 12:30:00 PM | Football, Les Johns
Former Wake Forest football player, Don Kobos, spent 40 years in television news and now is looking to develop and advise the next generation of broadcasters.
After a 40-year career in television news, Wake Forest Football alum Don Kobos is now focused on assisting the next generation of broadcasters. He's working on a textbook from his home in Texas and seeks out opportunities to mentor others.
Kobos arrived at Wake Forest in 1966 and played three seasons total for coaches Bill Tate and Cal Stoll.
"I had a lot of offers in the northeast, but I sort of wanted to see what was there outside New England," Kobos said. "My brother went to Harvard and my parents wanted me to stay in Boston.
"I went on a visit and just fell in love. There was a great Southern charm. The program was on a roll. Tate came in and they were doing big things. I decided to give it a shot. I don't regret going down there."
Playing on the defensive line and at receiver, Kobos finished his Wake Forest career with 24 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown. His one score came as the first score in the 1969 season-opening 22-21 victory over North Carolina State.
"My athletic experience wasn't what I wanted to be," he said. "But my parents always stressed that I was there for the academics and to make the most of it. I felt like I did. I came back after teaching two years and got a Masters in Speech Communication, then went out and ventured in the world of television news, which is what I did for 40 years.
"Wake taught me a lot academically. I was a deer in the headlights when I got there. There were the practice responsibilities and then the academic rigor at Wake Forest. It helped me learn the hard way."
The Deacs won the game against the Wolfpack by going for two late in the game after a length-of-the-field drive.
"That was a sign of good things to come," Kobos said. We didn't have many wins, but you could tell good things were coming. The next year, with many of the same players, they won the ACC Championship.
"That game solidified my career and I just appreciated the opportunity to play at that level."
After graduating from Wake Forest, Kobos took a teaching job in Yadkin County, then got a shot to coach high school football in Virginia. His team finished 1-9.
"I realized I wasn't going to be a football coach," Kobos said with a laugh.
He returned to Wake Forest to complete his Masters and then got a job in High Point as a TV film photographer.
"After three months, I was a reporter and a photographer, then nine months later I was just a reporter," Kobos said.
It became his life's work and love, as he had reporting stints in television stations in High Point, Richmond (VA), Raleigh — including four years at WRAL.
"Don and I hit it off right from the start, probably because he played football," said Tom Suiter, the lead sports anchor at WRAL TV in Raleigh for almost 40 years. "We got along well. Don was a really good reporter. He was a tenacious and fair investigative reporter.
"Don is a good person and really loves Wake Forest. I think he used a lot of what he learned in football into his work. Don was never intimidated and that came from his football days."
He eventually got a reporter position at KTRK in Houston, Texas in 1974.
"I did a lot of things here (Houston) that I never envisioned," Kobos said. "I did Rice football. I hosted a set of town hall meetings for PBS. I wrote an educational series for sports and education — tips for high school students to help them do sports and academics. I converted that, with the help of Exxon, into a special skills booklet. We handed them out free to students. I was able to do a lot of this on top of my day-to-day endeavours as a reporter."
Kobos then moved into management at KTRK, serving as an assistant news director for 14 years until his retirement. He's been diagnosed with Parkison's Disease, but refuses to let that slow him down.
"I stay busy and exercise a lot," he said. "I'm currently writing a college textbook for prospective television journalists on crisis management."
He returned to Winston-Salem for Football Homecoming in 2019. In addition to seeing faculty members in history and communications departments, Kobos was able to reconnect with Brooke Thomas, who he had previously mentored.
"She gave me a tour and I was blown away with how wonderful everything is on campus," Kobos said.
Thomas, who holds the Wake Forest women's basketball career assist record (513), doesn't remember who connected her with Kobos, but found the mentoring invaluable.
"I was a communications major and journalism minor, and had aspirations to be on ESPN and do sports broadcasting," Thomas said. "He has extensive experience in broadcasting. Sometime in my junior or senior year, I was connected with Don. We had some phone calls.
"He told me a lot about the industry and connected with me. He gave me advice on what to do as a young journalist. Through the years, he's kept up with me. He watched my stories when I worked for Fox Sports Florida. I was an online content reporter, so I would have various video features. He would always shoot me an email, providing me positive feedback and things to build on. We talked about how to move forward in my career. He has been a great mentor and friend."
Although Thomas had returned to Wake Forest for a position in the athletic department, she knows those contacts and relationships are vital for young broadcasters.
"I saw him for one of the Homecomings," she said. "He's always been someone who has a heart for student athletes and wants to help young, aspiring broadcasters.
Those relationships matter. They are vital to having a sustainable career in the industry. Having those relationships helps to keep you motivated and build a direction for molding your career. It's absolutely vital."
And it's building those relationships to help future broadcasters that keeps Kobos motivated and excited as he settles into retirement in Houston.
Kobos arrived at Wake Forest in 1966 and played three seasons total for coaches Bill Tate and Cal Stoll.
"I had a lot of offers in the northeast, but I sort of wanted to see what was there outside New England," Kobos said. "My brother went to Harvard and my parents wanted me to stay in Boston.
"I went on a visit and just fell in love. There was a great Southern charm. The program was on a roll. Tate came in and they were doing big things. I decided to give it a shot. I don't regret going down there."
Playing on the defensive line and at receiver, Kobos finished his Wake Forest career with 24 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown. His one score came as the first score in the 1969 season-opening 22-21 victory over North Carolina State.
"My athletic experience wasn't what I wanted to be," he said. "But my parents always stressed that I was there for the academics and to make the most of it. I felt like I did. I came back after teaching two years and got a Masters in Speech Communication, then went out and ventured in the world of television news, which is what I did for 40 years.
"Wake taught me a lot academically. I was a deer in the headlights when I got there. There were the practice responsibilities and then the academic rigor at Wake Forest. It helped me learn the hard way."
The Deacs won the game against the Wolfpack by going for two late in the game after a length-of-the-field drive.
"That was a sign of good things to come," Kobos said. We didn't have many wins, but you could tell good things were coming. The next year, with many of the same players, they won the ACC Championship.
"That game solidified my career and I just appreciated the opportunity to play at that level."
After graduating from Wake Forest, Kobos took a teaching job in Yadkin County, then got a shot to coach high school football in Virginia. His team finished 1-9.
"I realized I wasn't going to be a football coach," Kobos said with a laugh.
He returned to Wake Forest to complete his Masters and then got a job in High Point as a TV film photographer.
"After three months, I was a reporter and a photographer, then nine months later I was just a reporter," Kobos said.
It became his life's work and love, as he had reporting stints in television stations in High Point, Richmond (VA), Raleigh — including four years at WRAL.
"Don and I hit it off right from the start, probably because he played football," said Tom Suiter, the lead sports anchor at WRAL TV in Raleigh for almost 40 years. "We got along well. Don was a really good reporter. He was a tenacious and fair investigative reporter.
"Don is a good person and really loves Wake Forest. I think he used a lot of what he learned in football into his work. Don was never intimidated and that came from his football days."
He eventually got a reporter position at KTRK in Houston, Texas in 1974.
"I did a lot of things here (Houston) that I never envisioned," Kobos said. "I did Rice football. I hosted a set of town hall meetings for PBS. I wrote an educational series for sports and education — tips for high school students to help them do sports and academics. I converted that, with the help of Exxon, into a special skills booklet. We handed them out free to students. I was able to do a lot of this on top of my day-to-day endeavours as a reporter."
Kobos then moved into management at KTRK, serving as an assistant news director for 14 years until his retirement. He's been diagnosed with Parkison's Disease, but refuses to let that slow him down.
"I stay busy and exercise a lot," he said. "I'm currently writing a college textbook for prospective television journalists on crisis management."
He returned to Winston-Salem for Football Homecoming in 2019. In addition to seeing faculty members in history and communications departments, Kobos was able to reconnect with Brooke Thomas, who he had previously mentored.
"She gave me a tour and I was blown away with how wonderful everything is on campus," Kobos said.
Thomas, who holds the Wake Forest women's basketball career assist record (513), doesn't remember who connected her with Kobos, but found the mentoring invaluable.
"I was a communications major and journalism minor, and had aspirations to be on ESPN and do sports broadcasting," Thomas said. "He has extensive experience in broadcasting. Sometime in my junior or senior year, I was connected with Don. We had some phone calls.
"He told me a lot about the industry and connected with me. He gave me advice on what to do as a young journalist. Through the years, he's kept up with me. He watched my stories when I worked for Fox Sports Florida. I was an online content reporter, so I would have various video features. He would always shoot me an email, providing me positive feedback and things to build on. We talked about how to move forward in my career. He has been a great mentor and friend."
Although Thomas had returned to Wake Forest for a position in the athletic department, she knows those contacts and relationships are vital for young broadcasters.
"I saw him for one of the Homecomings," she said. "He's always been someone who has a heart for student athletes and wants to help young, aspiring broadcasters.
Those relationships matter. They are vital to having a sustainable career in the industry. Having those relationships helps to keep you motivated and build a direction for molding your career. It's absolutely vital."
And it's building those relationships to help future broadcasters that keeps Kobos motivated and excited as he settles into retirement in Houston.
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