A native of Eustis, Nebraska, John Thayer began chasing the dream of being a sports broadcaster at 8 years old. The voice of Kent Pavelka was the inspiration behind the journey. John attended college at Doane University where he obtained a degree in Journalism.

While at Doane, John broadcast games for the Doane Tigers on the campus radio station and also helped KUTT provide coverage of Doane football games for a couple of seasons. In his senior year, John helped establish the Tiger Sports Network as a new broadcast platform that has grown to this day. While at Doane John had the chance to broadcast football, men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, baseball and softball.

After graduation John moved to Holyoke, CO where he spent a year at KSTH covering the Holyoke Dragons and providing an on-air show. He then moved on to the College Fanz Sports Network where he was the lead play-by-play announcer for two seasons. The team covered NAIA sports all around the country in football and basketball. John spent a little time at other stops before landing in Chadron, Nebraska for a year and then on to Yankton, South Dakota.

At KVHT/KVTK radio in Yankton John hosted a daily sports talk show on KVTK for 6 years and provided play-by-play coverage of Yankton HS and surrounding towns. In his second year with the radio group, John was named the play-by-play voice of the University of South Dakota women’s basketball program where he described the action as the team made it to their first NCAA tournament and won the WNIT. John also spent time as the sideline reported for Coyote football.

In May 2019, John was named the play-by-play voice of South Dakota football and men’s basketball. In this role, John provides all broadcasts to the radio network at USD football and men’s basketball games, home and away. He produces the pregame show for every broadcast and hosts a coaches show, along with a weekly podcast and a daily two minute Coyote sports update.

John has also been a professor at the University of South Dakota, serving as advisor of KAOR, the student radio station, and has taught a sports broadcasting class.

In addition to broadcasting, John has spent more than 10 years as a college baseball umpire and enjoys golf during the summer.