NFL AM is now graced with Italian-American anchor Erin Coscarelli, newest co-host to the early morning sports news show, alongside former professional football players who also co-host the show. Erin is a sportscaster and entertainment host living in Los Angeles and has recently joined the NFL network in 2014, giving back to football fans not only in L.A., but also all across the country.
Raised in an Italian-American household, Erin’s family has always been her best support system. She gives all credit to her family for instilling her with good moral values, a high work ethic, and her “competitive edge”. Erin has earned a degree in both Journalism and Communications, being a proud graduate from her hometown university: University of Southern California. During her time at USC and shortly after, Erin gained a vast amount of experience in broadcasting for sports, especially football programs.
Now Erin Coscarelli is enjoying the life of national sports broadcasting as an anchor, and is extremely content with where her career has taken her. Not only is she representing the Italian-American community in L.A., but she also represents all women who are not afraid to step into the male-dominated world of sports.
Can you explain more about how you were raised being that you are Italian-American?
I was raised in an Italian household; my grandfather came to the U.S. from Calabria. He came over from Italy and started his own restaurant and liquor store here, and he was a man of many talents. His passion was something that was instilled in me at a young age to aspire to great heights. Every weekend I was playing soccer and balancing school, and sports became a really big deal to me, which was a big passion that was handed down to me. The Italian culture is just something I identify with strongly. Whether it was just cooking, drinking wine, or just even the fashion, it was a huge influence in my life growing up and definitely something I am really proud of.
How has your childhood shaped you into the person you are today?
Certainly growing up in a household where both my parents worked has helped me very much, because it taught me that nothing is given to you for free and you have to work hard for it. My parents really emphasized the importance of education, and I was fortunate that I loved sports. I was pretty good at it, and I was a tomboy growing up. When I was at USC I got involved with their sports broadcasting department, and it was something that I was really passionate about. I loved writing as a kid and I’m lucky that I was able to combine the two things that I love: sports and broadcasting journalism.
What do you love about Los Angeles?
I love so many things about the L.A. community. There are so many different things you can do here. You can have a relaxing day or night at the beach. The food in L.A. is amazing; the wide variety of everything is truly great. I enjoy all the outdoor things about LA as well, the hiking and horseback riding are things I want to do. There are so many wonderful things about LA, from skiing on the mountains to surfing at the beach. I especially love that there are so many passionate people and creative minds in Los Angeles.
You love to give back to the community in as many ways as you can. How did you get involved with the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles?
I love giving back to the community or helping out and putting smiles on people less fortunate than I am. I am part of a group called Young Professional Council (YPC) at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, which is a group of people that dedicates time to putting on many events from book drives, to silent auctions, champagne brunches, or nights out in LA. All the money that we derive from these events we give back to the hospital. It’s really great because the group is made of all these young people with full incomes and no families yet, so we have more time to dedicate to the Children’s Hospital. These kids need it more than anything and they don’t have all the finances they need. Also, it doesn’t have to be money to give to these children; it’s also about time that you can give, or volunteering to help them out.
You’ve reached such milestones in the broadcasting/journalism world. What do you appreciate most about your career so far?
I love that I wake up every morning doing what I love. Which is connecting with the audience back at home, and sharing that moment with them in the morning. Even for the fans that aren’t hardcore NFL fans, and just casual fans that love sports. This also gives me the opportunity to show my personality and showcase my thought-provoking questions that are topical and what the NFL community is talking about. A lot of times in my job we talk about stories from the NFL, and it creates just a warm, entertaining environment for people to watch and enjoy. I can’t see myself doing anything else than this right now. I love it very much.
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