Briana McKellery – Manchester Mystic’s Forward

I recently got an e-mail from someone I had never met but she told me a wonderful story.

Her name is Briana McKellery and she is from the United States. She is in the UK at the moment studying at Salford University and also playing for the Manchester Mystics in the Women’s British Basketball League – The WBBL

She told me that her mum back in the States has a friend called Bobby Kinzer and she spoke to him about Briana playing in the UK. He highly recommended it and suggested that if she did decide to take up the offer then there were two people she should look up while she was in England.

They are Kevin Cadle and Mike Shaft both of whom he knew from his playing days here in the UK.

As I mentioned before, Briana is studying here in the UK at Salford University however, what I did not say is that she is studying Media. She is doing her Masters in Print Journalism and On-line Journalism, having attained her degree in Broadcast Journalism at Lincoln University back in the US.

We agreed to meet up for a coffee and then I offered to show her round one of the BBC buildings at media City. Luckily, she knew exactly where it was because she attends the Salford University campus which is also based at Media City in Salford.

She told me all about her basketball exploits and how wonderful it was to be playing here in the UK for the Manchester Mystics. The Mystics play out of the Amaechi Centre in Whalley Range. As of 9th November, they have a record of 3 wins and 2 losses which sees them in 6th position in the WBBL.

Brianna gets a taste of BBC Breakfast at Media City UK

Then we got on to the subject of Media and I bored the poor girl about some of my many exploits in that field.

We then toured the BBC Building – Quay House – which houses BBC Sport, Five Live, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Breakfast and loads more.

What a joy it was to show someone around who was so interested in the subject and the surroundings.

We met some wonderful people on our tour including Manchester City’s biggest fan, Sports commentator Ian Cheeseman. We met the Head of Regional and local programmes Aziz Rashid and his assistant, the fabulous Jag.

We also met BBC Radio Manchester’s News Editor Michelle Daniel who told us about the Newsroom and what they do and how they do it. She also told us about her recent trip to the US where the station won a prestigious award at the New York Festival Radio Awards for our Documentary about Dale Cregan.

The programme was masterminded by Steve Saul.

Everyone was very willing to take the time to welcome Briana to the BBC and also to explain their role in the Organisation.

I showed her round the BBC Breakfast studios and the BBC Radio Manchester Studios as well.

We went up on to the 5th floor and looked out over Salford and Manchester and I told her some of the history of this wonderful area, including a potted history of the Manchester Ship canal and the Trafford Park area.

I even pointed out Manchester United to her.

Perhaps one of the most interesting people we met was Michelle Adamson who is a Journalist at BBC Radio Manchester.

Michelle Adamson shows off her Google glasses

It is always a joy to hear Michelle broadcasting into the Breakfast show from all over Greater Manchester.

But it was not that that caught the eye this morning.

Michelle is going to be BBC Radio Manchester’s expert in the use of Google Glass, possibly the coolest thing on the planet at the moment.

Neither Briana nor I had ever seen one up close and personal, but Michelle had recently had hers delivered and took the time to explain to both of us how it works and how it was going to help her with her broadcasts in the future.

Believe it or not, Google Glass has voice recognition which means she can speak her instructions and the glasses recognises her voice and carries out her instructions. (No I don’t think she can get it to make coffee as yet!)

We completed the tour with Briana more wide eyed than ever. We’d discussed just about everything on the tour as I explained to people who she was and what she was doing in the UK.

It was a joy to welcome her to the UK, to Manchester, and to the BBC.

I am hoping to get to see her playing for the Mystics soon and I do hope she has a wonderful time studying and balling in the UK.

Later

Mike S