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For players and coaches

• Phrases like "know what I'm saying'" give the impression you're only talking to your friends and not the public at large.
• The use of the word "man" should be avoided at all costs. It can be perceived as an insult to the interviewer.
• Always try to speak slowly and without using clichés. The viewing public eagerly wants to hear and understand your explanations. And they lose interest rapidly if they can't understand what you're saying.

Always try to make eye contact with the interviewer

• The interviewer is really acting as a member of the public. If you are being interviewed and you look away from the interviewer, it gives the impression that you aren't really interested in what the public is hearing. By making eye contact with the interviewer, you are establishing a connection to the viewers at home.

Avoid the notion that the questions being asked silly or naive

• The interviewer is generally asking questions that the viewers at home would ask if they got an opportunity to ask questions themselves. And those viewers may not be as well versed in game plans and game details as you may think.
• Always attempt to answer the question you've been asked. Listen to the
  question and respond to it directly. Athletes tend to frustrate the interviewer and the viewing public when they seem to be answering questions they haven't been asked! It gives the impression that the athlete isn't listening to the interviewer and they believe that what they have to say is more important than what the public wants to hear.

Interviews to watch - a list of the best athletic interviewees

These techniques are offered to help advance the images of players and coaches as they gain more and more exposure through the media.
They have been compiled through many years of interview experience.
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