Inside Recreation

MCPS Student George Johnston IV Talks About His Passion for Sports Reporting

• Carmen Berrios Martinez • Season 3 • Episode 17

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In this episode of Inside Recreation, host Carmen Berrios Martinez speaks with 13-year old George Johnston IV and his father George III about the former's sports broadcasting journey that has led him to covering the Super Bowl and the Olympics as well as being featured on Nickelodeon's 'SlimeTime', 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' and more.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Inside Recreation. I'm your host, Carmen Varios Martinez, and we have got some special guests joining us today. We've got George Johnson, the fourth. He is a 13-year-old student at Rosa Park Middle School who continues to make big waves as a sports reporter. He's covered sports at the local level here in Montgomery County for the last few years, as well as major events including the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and the Super Bowl. He's also made appearances on Nickelodeon and the Kelly Clarkson show. His dad, George III, is also here to share his perspectives and the sport he and the rest of the family have provided George on his journey. Thank you both so much for joining us. How are you guys?

George III:

So well. Thank you.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

It's so great to have you guys. So, all right. So when the crew told me that we were gonna do this podcast, I'm like, all right, who's this kid? You are so famous. You're all over YouTube and Google. Like, how did you know, right, that this is what you wanted to do, that your passion was sports and sports reporting?

George Johnston IV:

So I think at a young age, first of all, I wasn't really an athlete like growing up. I mostly just did like developmental leagues, like soccer, T-ball. Um, it wasn't really until Super Bowl 53, and this was mostly because I like love history. And Super Bowl 53 was the Patriots versus the Rams. Then I made that connection, like Patriots and the American Revolution, and that kind of kick-started my love for football. And then as the next couple years went on, I started playing Madden a lot, like doing uh my own commentary on Madden, started watching a lot more football. And then it got to a point where I wanted to go to the Super Bowl, and I didn't realize it, but Super Bowl tickets are very expensive, as he told me. He was like, if you want to go, you have to work your way up. Then I was like, how? And then YouTube came up, and then I started asking him for a YouTube channel, but it never really came to fruition until like two years after that Super Bowl when he finally let me. And then I started my YouTube channel and video by video, I got better at sports casting. And that's kind of how I found my passion through that one Super Bowl.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

That's amazing. That's such a great story, Dad. Right, like so your kid, I feel like every kid wants to be an influencer, right? A social media influencer. So when George is asking you, like, hey, dad, I want a YouTube channel. What were you thinking?

George III:

I don't know what to do. That was the thing. I I am uh first of all, uh I'm not a big sports person. So he was entering new territory with that. Um, and then I definitely am not a media person. So that was an uphill battle for me. So it was just like confusion. What am I going to do about this? And so really that two-year gap that he was talking about was because I was like, no, you're too young, or I don't know what to do. And so, but you know, as a parent, you do what you do, you try to support them and figure it out along the way. So it was uh roll up our sleeves and figure out how we can support his interest. And that that's really what it was all about.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

That's what parenting is all about for sure.

George Johnston IV:

I'm just learning some of this stuff for the first time, too.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

We're about to say a lot of stuff you don't know yet about what your parents went through to get you here. Absolutely. So, George, so you have the sports for uh this passion for covering sports. Your parents are like, okay, let's do this YouTube channel. Like, once they said yes, what did you do? Like, how did you make this happen?

George Johnston IV:

Well, it started with my first video, which was I I think it was a Super Bowl prediction video for the next Super Bowl, which was the Chiefs versus the Buccaneers. And then I started doing more and more videos. And I think my first five videos, except one of them was all about that one Super Bowl in that playoffs. And then as I went on, I started making more videos. I got a following. And then, like maybe June, um, I did an interview with my principal at Greenwood Elementary School for um it was the uh Greenwood's 50th anniversary, and they had me interview her about some of the stuff about the school. And she knew a woman, Miss Irene Johnson from NBC Four, who was a producer at NBC Four. And she talked to her, she's like, This kid's amazing. Well, I don't even know what she said, but I'm just gonna guess that what that's what it was.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

That's probably what it was.

George Johnston IV:

After that, I got to be on NBC Four and they interviewed me, and I did a surprise interview with the then commander's president at the time, Jason Wright. And then after that, things just kept on like going higher and higher. I got to be on the Kelly Clarkson show. And then later that September, I got the news asking if I wanted to be on NFL Slime Time. So, really, in those first six months of me having a YouTube channel, it was like things went from like zero to 60 in like a pretty short time. And it was pretty surreal because, you know, as I was like watching these players and I got to talk to so many these great people, and it happened so fast, I just like can't even explain what it was like. But it was really just a surreal moment to be able to do all of this in such a short period of time. And I was only eight years old, I was still learning my multiplication and division. So that was just surreal. So tell me, what was it like to cover Slime Time? I think it's it's really cool to see like the production behind it, and really because I was filming on Sundays and then I got to see the episodes on Wednesdays. So yes, I was filming and I knew the script, but I didn't really know what the final product was until the when until Wednesday night when I watched it just with everyone else. So I was also really a spectator to the show as much as I was part of the show. And it was really cool getting to see uh some of the props when I went up to the actual studio to see them film an episode and just overall getting to see what it was like to do that, it was just amazing. And that's something that I'm gonna hold for a pretty long time.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

That's great. So, like all of this seems to have happened fairly quickly, right? We kind of we paused two years in order to make sure we're comfortable with putting our child out on the internet, right? And then it snowballs. So, how how did you guys deal with that kind of mounting? Um Yeah, yeah.

George III:

Yeah, I'll I'll tell you, it was um uh it was learning on the go.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah.

George III:

It it all started off with he already mentioned how uh Miss Irene Johnson, uh the producer, linked up with him. Um, and she was a producer for Mulette Green, and she was the one that interviewed George on that first episode. And the first thing I did when Nickelodeon called was I reached out to Mollette Green and asked, Hey, do you have an agent? Because we got a contract in our hands and I don't know what to do with this. Sure. You know, and um and fortunately she linked us up with her agent, uh Brian Jacobs, he was in New York area and knew the casting director, which was a wonderful person. Um that uh uh Daniel Pratzfelder Demchick, she's a casting director at the time for Nickelodeon, and everything worked out, right? They they negotiated, did all this stuff behind the scenes, and then from there, once the contract's signed, you're really holding your breath because you got television appearances coming up, you got all these things that you've never seen before, screen actors guild, paperwork that you gotta deal with. There's a lot of stuff that the first time we we're just you know fearing, like what are we getting ourselves into. Right. Um, but it all worked out. And I I think the biggest thing was it was always what's next. Uh because when you started off, it was just a three uh episode guest appearance, which was on the contract and had options for extensions and all these optics and things like that. So three episodes turned into three seasons with like 70 plus appearances. And so every time you just you're not knowing what's next. So newfound attention was really holding our breath, wanting to make sure we don't we make the right steps, you know, schools first. So that was always like the main thing first. And this television stuff was really second for us. So we were really just trying to do our best. So there was really no formula to it, um, especially since he's not an actor. Yeah, you know, and that's a thing which a lot of these kids that are on these television shows it could be a sports show, it could be any show. They're actors first or entertainers or or actual um influencers that get on these shows, and he is a kid that is a a journalist, a sports journalist. So it was a whole different dynamic. So we were rather unprepared, but we did our best.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah, I mean, that's I think really what we all try to do, right? Every day. So I heard that recently you've been thinking about shifting a little bit from reporting to writing. Tell me a little bit about that.

George Johnston IV:

So I think I'm definitely still doing a lot of reporting, but I think definitely the shift to uh doing more writing and more writing more articles was because of like how I've been doing a lot more athletics recently. Uh but like I said earlier, I wasn't really an athlete growing up. And only about two to three years ago is when I started started playing tackle football, and that's really become a huge part of my life because uh I think it gives me an edge that not a lot of sports journalists, not just at my age, but overall, have. Because now not only can I talk about sports, but I have the background knowledge of playing them. So I think that's really been a huge part of how I've sort of molded how I speak, write, talk about sports. Um, but I think definitely having less time during the week because I'm playing more sports than I used to be, definitely impacted why I'm writing more than I used to. But I think that this is overall gonna help me in the long run because now I have uh background knowledge on all sports that gives me an edge. Because a lot of times, especially for me when I'm playing football and watching, there's a lot of things about not just football, but in all sports that you can't really understand unless you've played it. And I think that that gives me an edge over a lot of people. And that's why that's why people like Tom Brady are getting paid so much to uh be sports broadcasters on things like Fox News, because he has the background knowledge of not only playing in the NFL, but being successful in the NFL that more people will want to tune into. And I think that's something that can help me in the future.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah, absolutely. Um, so when you write, do you do you prepare differently for writing versus reporting on the sidelines? Or is kind of your preparation process the same?

George Johnston IV:

I think at least so writing, usually when I was make when I'm making videos and when I'm reporting, usually I try to get an outline and do some research on whatever I'm gonna be talking about or who I'm gonna be speaking to. And I don't think it's really that far from just writing articles. Because really, um, me and my dad have been uh my dad's been telling me when I'm writing an article, he's like, you can turn this into a video really easily. And he's right. Because really the way you write an article, not only is an article, it's really an outline for doing a video. Yeah. So whilst it's uh pretty different, because normally for videos, I'm not actually writing an article, I'm just writing notes and questions or something that I want to talk on. Uh, but I think it's pretty similar in the preparation in the research. But of course, filming a video and getting ready for that is a lot different than just writing an article and posting it. But I think they're they're not as different than a lot of people think.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

So you talked about playing tackle football, um, but you play some other sports too. So I mean, you're keeping yourself really busy. What other sports are you playing?

George Johnston IV:

So I think I want to go by like throughout the year. So fall, of course, right now I'm doing tackle football, but I'm also doing stroke and turn at my local uh aquatic center to uh get conditioned. And that's really just year-round from like now, just starting October to really May. So I do that. Uh winter, I do house basketball. And of course, I like just play basketball throughout the year, but winter is just house basketball. And then spring, it really depends. But for the past couple of years, I've definitely been doing flag football uh during the spring and just rinse and repeat. Summer, uh, I don't really play anything during the summer, just get conditioned and get ready for the football season. But I think keeping myself active throughout the year and getting a wide variety of sports that I'm playing, uh it really helps. Because another thing my dad talks to me about, he takes things from one sport and talks about how they can apply to football because that's my main sport. So, like, say how swimming trains your legs and your whole body can help you with football. Because you're using your legs a lot, you use your legs a lot in football, and yeah, and then the cardio and basketball applies to football because I play running back and linebacker, so I'm doing a the majority of the running on the team. So I think honestly, uh the variety of sports that I do throughout the year, not just football, it really helps me with football and also the other sports that I play.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah, so Dad, Montgomery County recreation, right, seems to have been a big part or is a big part of um Georgia's kind of uh sports, you know, career here. How has Montgomery County recreation played a role?

George III:

It it's been pretty much there from day one for us. Like we the aquatic center's always been a big draw for us. Um whether it was lessons, you know, like their level one, level two, level three lessons. Um that all was really where he got started with swimming, um, but not at the competitive level until we got to you know, middle school and start putting it into the into the summer swim leagues. Um but it was there. And then of course, uh flag football was always something that we gravitated to. So we would be um down here at Wheaton High School, uh playing there on Sundays, uh, which was a really great thing for us scheduling wise. Um, we we did other leagues as well, but that was probably the most accessible for us. And that was a huge help because um he really didn't know this. But the the reason he really didn't get started late um with athletics was because of our work schedules. You know, I I would have to I would have an hour and a half commute um each way easily, sometimes two hours. Couldn't get him to these, you know, travel soccer, travel basketball, all these other things midweek. And uh my wife uh had an equally demanding schedule as well. So i it it really was because of that, that ability to have those flexible and accessible opportunities that even got, you know, started at that age. I mean um so like I said, that was probably a a huge differentiator for us uh is just having that access. So we do think accounting for that for sure.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah, ex accessibility um is something that we focus on so much, right, in trying to offer programs when people need them, not when they are easiest or most convenient for the department, particularly. So, George, uh dad mentioned earlier, right, school comes first, but how do you balance everything that you're doing, right? For other kids who are listening, right? You do school, you do sports, then you've got this other gig on top of it, right? How do you balance everything?

George Johnston IV:

So, of course, when I'm coming home, like you said, school comes first, so I have to get my homework done before I can do anything. Um, sometimes I don't really have enough time. So I just get ready, take my homework, and do in the cars of going to practice. But of course, I have to be doing my homework before I do anything else. And usually when I'm doing research for these articles, videos, interviews, whatever, it's either after I come back from any practice or just while I'm eating dinner or like late at night. And really, I don't I don't hang out much with friends during the week. My parents don't, they don't usually let me hang out during the week, uh, just really on the weekends. So week, I have a lot of time to practice, do my homework, and do my research or uh whatever. So really it's just about maintaining my academic strengths. So I have time to do uh pretty much everything else that I need to. But it really is a rush, especially when I have sports or other commitments that I have to do during the week. Uh also like clubs that I have at school. Uh so just balancing all that, it is hard, but it's definitely manageable when you put your academics first and get your homework out of the way before anything. Because honestly, if I didn't do like my homework or anything before, uh that'd probably it'd probably make my schedule worse. And also, my parents give me extra homework during the week. And while I don't like it, I mean I it's necess it's necessary because that's how I have uh strong academics in the classroom. So I think the key to managing all of it is just keeping my academics first, and then I have a bunch of time throughout the week to do anything else that I need to.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah, it sounds like you have a solid foundation helping you out. That's awesome. Who are some of your uh inspirations, right? Like I know you started by watching the Super Bowl and football, but who are the people you look up to?

George Johnston IV:

Well, going back to that Super Bowl, Tom Brady was definitely the player who I gravitated towards instantly. Um, of course, I play football and I said running back and linebacker. So I think players like B. John Robinson and like Ashton Genty currently, I try to model my game off of just because of how like how hard it is to tackle them and how like their games, while they aren't really like quick, their game speed's amazing. So that's what I try to model off of. And I think in terms of like broadcasting and reporting, Jameis Winston, because he's doing something that a lot of other players and reporters aren't doing. He's playing at a high level, he's a and he's an NFL player, and he's also doing sports reporting on the side, which I think is something that I'm in that same situation and something that I want to model off of. And of course, like I said, I mentioned the NFL players earlier and Tom Brady. But I think Jameis Winston and me are in like that same situation. I'm uh he's playing football and he's doing broadcasting, which is something that I'm inspired to do the same.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

That's awesome. So, Dad, if someone's listening and they're like, gosh, my kid has this dream, right? And I'm just not sure if I'm okay with all these things that I don't know anything about, what would you tell them?

George III:

It was really reaching out and trying to connect with people that at least know a little bit more than you. And I'll I'll just kind of preface this by um something that I did. Um, you know, I talked to random people about, you know, cameras and microphones and whatnot. And you just play around with it. And his first videos were rough. I mean, we had awful audio, terrible lighting, but it didn't matter as long as you start it somewhere. You know, and so just try it, you know. I mean, and and I know I'm saying that after delaying for two years, but when we finally did get started, I started learning a little bit more about editing, started learning a little bit more about equipment. And and you can go through and and see the progression of of the things we helped them out initially. And then when you get to a certain point saying, I need help, you know, like I linked up uh with the editor uh uh later on, Sash Suja, who uh is wonderful, and he helped out with some videos when I couldn't like manage that workload. Um and then when we got to the point where it was uh what's next, I talked with other parents that we were um coming in contact with. Uh when we were out in um Los Angeles for the uh Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, we were backstage and all this stuff like that in the green room, and I talked with um some parents of some of the other Nickelodeon actors. It was uh Elijah Cooper's parents, uh Hero Mirror Hunter's parents, and Young Dylan's parents. And all three of them really helped me um understand ins and outs of the industry that I had no idea about. And so not being afraid to ask people for their advice was key and not, you know, and um and not trying to I don't know, gatekeep success or anything. You know, like we would invite other kids that you know wanted to be a part of different videos with him and just try to grow your own little community. Um so that that was another thing that we we try to do, but but really just ask for help, learn from others, and start somewhere, even if it's very rough in the beginning.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

I mean, that's great advice for so many things in life, right? Not just kind of how to get your kid on a YouTube channel or something like that. George, you're 13. You've done so much already, right? Most kids at 13, I mean, I'm trying to think what I was planning for at 13, right? It definitely wasn't probably what you were planning for. What are your goals for the future? What do you want to do in the next five, 10 years?

George Johnston IV:

I think honestly, I haven't really thought about what my plans are for the future, but I think it definitely is gonna be something with sports, you know. Um playing football, especially at a high level. I think playing high school and then maybe college football, if I have that opportunity, is something that I really want to do. But also expanding my online community, you know, uh hitting a thousand subscribers on YouTube is something I want to do for a long time. That's something that I think I really want to accomplish in the next couple of years. But honestly, just improving my skills and getting to meet to meet and interview even more amazing people over the next couple of years is something that I really want to do. But just learning more about the sports world and getting to be involved in it is really my main focus. And I think I think wherever that comes, not just broad uh sports casting or playing, but also maybe being in the front office, like being a scout or a general manager, that's something that I've recently been uh interested in. So where wherever uh wherever the world takes me in the sports world is where I'm gonna go.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Sounds like you have a good plan, Dad. What are your what are your goals for him? What are your wishes for him in the future?

George III:

You know, you know, you know, w we we have no expectations except to make sure that he thoroughly um explores it. So I you know, I he doesn't have to go into sports broadcasting um as a profession. Um, but we want to make sure that while he's doing it, he does it right and he sees it through and and tells us when he doesn't want to do it anymore. So we know that whatever he does decide to do, he can take those experiences and go take it to anything else. Um at this point, we don't have a real major, you know, defined vision as long as he does go to college. I was gonna say education. Uh that's a must. Yeah. I know there's for for a lot of people that's not the way for them. Uh but in our family that is. Um so go to college, um, make the most of his experience that he has now, um, and and just, you know, commit to whatever he does want to go into. So we'll see what he does. And if it's sports broadcasting or playing professionally or working in the industry um behind the scenes in the in in the in the front office somewhere, we're fine with that.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

Yeah, I think you have some pretty incredible, uh, a pretty incredible journey ahead. So you talked about hitting a thousand subscribers. So let's tell people how they can follow you on YouTube. What's your do YouTube channel?

George Johnston IV:

All right. So YouTube, I am at g4 sports talk, but you can also uh search up at g4 sports talk on Instagram and TikTok. And I also have a website called g4sportstock.com where you can pretty much find everything I've done on g4sportstock.com. So all my handles are at g4 sports talk, and then I have the g4sports.com website.

Carmen Berrios Martinez:

All right. Well, we're all rooting for you here at Montgomery County Recreation. And to learn more about some of those programs that George participates in through Montgomery County Recreation, you can visit us at www.mocorec.com. Guys, thanks so much for being here with me. This was so much fun. I am rooting for you. Thank you. I think a lot of us are rooting for you. Um, we're gonna be looking out for you over the next couple of years and see all the amazing things you do. Thanks again for being with us. And thank you for joining us and listening to Inside Recreation. We hope you join us again soon for the next episode. Bye.

George Johnston IV:

Bye.

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