ESPN

First Take producer dives into two jobs

A typical weekday for First Take lead producer Kevin Reeder begins at 5 a.m. ET, when he prepares for the live debate show by watching SportsCenter and working on the day’s production schedule, guests and possible discussion topics before the show’s 7:30 a.m. rundown meeting.

What’s Next for Reeder

Reeder’s next big event will be producing First Take live from the MGM Grand pool in Las Vegas for the highly-anticipated Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. The show will be live from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, April 29 – Friday, May 1, with host Cari Champion and featured commentators Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless as they debate the boxing match and welcome special guests to the set including Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and 50 Cent.

But when his work at ESPN is done, his day is far from over. Reeder, who marks 15 years at ESPN in June, is also the boys head swim coach at Cheshire High School in Connecticut where, in his first season, he led the Rams to an 8-1 dual-meet record was named Swim Coach of the Year by the New Haven Register. Cheshire finished fifth at the State Open, 23 spots better than last season.

“I enjoy the mental side of swimming and allowing kids to see their potential,” Reeder said. “I love the strategy of putting together lineups for close meets and seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces when they accomplish something they never knew possible.”

Reeder swam competitively most of his life, including four years at Providence College, and took the coaching position at Cheshire High School this past fall after coaching at the Southington YMCA for 10 years.

But balancing coaching with this job at ESPN isn’t always easy. “Overall I am lucky to work on a morning show that allows me to do two things I love: produce in the morning and early afternoon and then coach swimming later in the day,” he said.

He also credits First Take segment producer Brian Bourque, his assistant coach Kim Christensen (who filled in for him during the two weeks when the show traveled for the National Championship Game and Super Bowl), and his wife Kristen with helping him juggle both jobs.

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