Bob Orkwis Celebrates 35 Years Covering High School Sports In WPA

by Thomas Leturgey

Bob Orkwis sat in a North Hills cigar lounge, relaxed and eager to start a new high school football season. Oddly, Orkwis—who is talented with math equations—had to think about when he actually started covering sports on the radio. It was determined that he covered his first gridiron contest for California High School on WVCS, California University of Pennsylvania radio in 1985.

When he cracked the microphone to detail the Chartiers Valley and Montour showdown alongside Lanny Frattare for TribLIVE High School Sports Network on Friday, September 11, Orkwis, 55, quietly began his 35th year reporting on scholastic sports.

After graduating from California University of PA in 1987, Orkwis began working with longtime friend Don Rebel. Orkwis worked at what was then WIXZ, 1360-AM radio in McKeesport when high school sports were that station’s annual bread and butter fiscal resource. He’s covered football and other sports in audio and writing since Nauticom Sports Network was in its infancy, when the network became MSA Sports, and then a few years later TribSports.

Unlike college athletics, where statistics are provided in great detail by staff and students, it’s oftentimes the broadcasters’ job to compile high school sports background. Orkwis and Frattare (who is legendary in sports journalism circles for his high degree of preparation), are always more-than-prepared to tell the story of any game they cover. Case in point, in the first Friday of high school football, Frattare spent a great deal of time informing the WJAS 1320 AM audience about who the Colts and Spartans coaches were, what their day jobs entailed and their wives’ names. The duo (Frattare on play-by-play and Orkwis on color commentary) has become great friends over the past 11 years they have been working together.

The pairing impresses Orkwis just as much today as it did in the beginning. For his part Frattare, who has carved out a remarkable post-Major League Baseball career in high school sports, has credited with being a great partner. It was Frattare who mentioned Orkwis’ anniversary at the conclusion of the WPIAL Parkway Conference pregame presentation. [Char Valley defeated Montour 34-7.]

Away from the press box and for more than 19 years, Orkwis has experienced success as a Business Analyst for Highmark. And for more than 15 of those years, he has served as “Bobby O” the owner of Pittsburgh’s professional wrestling organization. There he has overseen an organization that has become the recognized leader in the industry. Had it not been for the COVID-19 shutdown, the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) would have held its 300th event. During Orkwis’ ownership, the organization has been recognized by Pittsburgh City Council, Allegheny County Council, the Governor’s Office, the State House, and United States Senate. At the KSWA’s 20th anniversary celebration in February, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto stood in the ring, and recognized the organization’s standing in Western Pennsylvania.

The KSWA has become a leader in fund raising for schools, volunteer fire departments, as well as cancer and diabetes causes, just to name a few. The organization has assisted countless Allegheny County youths through the annual KSWA FanFest/Toy Drive. The charitable drive has been “the highlight” by the Allegheny Project, which distributes thousands of toys to need children throughout the region. With COVID-19 shutdowns still in place, Orkwis isn’t sure if or when FanFest/Toy Drive is a possibility this December. However, he and a small group of organizers are working to see if the season can be salvaged.

Orkwis, a Lawrenceville native living in Morningside, always finds time to spend with his young children, daughter Maddie and son, Brady, who are coming to terms with their own “new normal” school routine.

Although high school sports in Western Pennsylvania have not yet returned to its “new normal,” it is getting closer to reality when Lanny Frattare and Bob Orkwis are calling the contest on a Friday night.