Dean DeVore rides a roller coaster, big and small
BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Most people can relate to the anxiety of doing something scary: you and a friend are in the front seat of your favorite rollercoaster, climbing up to the top of a hill that you could see when you parked your car earlier. You’re finally starting to slow down and the moment feels like a dead weight in your stomach.
There was a time Dean DeVore, public address (PA) announcer for Penn State Football, was unable to get on that ride with you to help you through the moment; because he couldn’t get on the ride at all. Not because he was scared, because he couldn’t get the safety belt on.
These days, Dean Devore can eagerly climb aboard an actual roller coaster and the career roller coaster.
On September 14, 2014, a total of 110,753 fans filled Beaver Stadium to see Penn State take on Nebraska in an early season out of conference match up (via gopsusports.com). DeVore remembers having a great time calling this game as Beaver Stadium’s PA announcer. He enjoyed telling Beaver Stadium’s faithful that Penn State dominated the field in a 40-7 victory over the “Big Red.”
He’s been doing that for 16 seasons now in Happy Valley. DeVore is the primary PA announcer for Penn State football and many other sports. Including volleyball, gymnastics, and men’s lacrosse. Lacrosse was the first sport he called at the university, 26 years ago.
DeVore donned the blue and white in 1996 as a Penn State graduate. He began his studies in 1984 but left in 1988 to begin working in radio, putting a degree on hold. He worked at two different radio groups for the next seven years. He returned in 1994 to finish his schoolings graduating with a degree in general Arts and Sciences.
In 1998 he started working at AccuWeather as a weather correspondent. His weather reports can be heard on hundreds of radio stations across the nation on weekday mornings.
DeVore's weekends don’t always mean it’s time to rest. Some weekends have Penn State football games and women’s volleyball matches that need his voice: their PA announcer. His weekend schedule follows the seasons for football, volleyball, lacrosse, wrestling, baseball, field hockey, gymnastics, soccer and blue band. He says there aren’t many sports that he hasn’t covered over the last two decades.
Personal roller coaster
DeVore's personal roller coaster ride has included ups and downs in weight loss and weight gain. In October of 2012 DeVore weighed 380 pounds. He knew he wanted to do something about his situation. He turned to a program referred to him by his primary care physician Dr. Franklin Berkey, a State College family medicine doctor. Berkey mentioned weight loss surgery to him as a viable option, but he never pushed him into it. In November of 2012 DeVore attended an informational meeting and was eventually accepted into the surgical weight loss program at the Hershey Medical Center starting in December.
This six-month program included extensive nutritional counseling, psychological evaluation, and implementation of an exercise program. He was also forced at this time to give up all alcohol and tobacco products.
He lost 40 pounds and this made him question if surgery was really needed. He put on weight and then took it back off, only to have it return later. He decided dieting alone wasn't working. In June, 2013 DeVore decided to undergo gastric sleeve surgery at the Hershey Medical Center.
He was back to his usual AccuWeather duties in three and a half weeks. The New Year started with weight rapidly coming off. January of 2013 was his best month to date.He has lost one hundred and sixty pounds to date.
Above you can Dean DeVore's weight loss since his surgery in January of 2013. The time between July of 2013 and January of 2014 was Dean's best couple months as far as the weight coming off. Dean said at one point he was losing about a pound a day.After he saw the success he had in January he was not looking back. He continued working with the Hershey Medical center and the resources they provided to keep the weight off. Since surgery he has lost 160 pounds and has kept it off.
He enjoys playing a full 18 holes of golf or a good tennis rally differently than before. Because now he is in a state of healthy enough to confidently participate in the games he loves.
This football season has DeVore no differently belting himself in to drive back to Beaver Stadium to ride that emotional roller coaster along with over 107,000 dedicated Penn State fans.
Victory Fitness Club's Emmitt Terrell guides DeVore's weight loss
DeVore continues to work out regularly with Emmitt Terrell, his personal trainer, at Victory Fitness Club in State College. Kinesthetic awareness was the main focal point for Terrell and as he began with simply teaching DeVore's body how to move again. They have focused on core strength and leg stability. Now it’s not uncommon for DeVore to end a workout with a set of pull-ups. Something that four years ago seemed impossible.
Photo gallery: From childhood to adulthood, Dean Devore
