Former NJ Jewish News intern finds dream job with St. Louis Rams

by Ron Kaplan
NJJN Staff Writer

Seven years ago, during the summer between his sophomore and junior years of college, Aaron Staenberg was making copies and performing other chores for NJ Jewish News as the Eileen Erde Memorial Intern. No big deal — lots of students get valuable experience at such programs.

What is surprising is that the South Orange native passed on the opportunity that year to spend that summer with the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. “I just wanted to stay home in New Jersey for the summer, get to hang out with my buddies,” he said in a telephone interview.

No matter: Staenberg, who turns 27 Sept. 29, is now the Rams’ football team media assistant, responsible for writing press releases, setting up interviews, designing the team’s press guide — in effect, working the other side of the journalistic street.

While a student at the University of Miami, Staenberg covered sports for the school’s newspaper and TV station. He graduated in 2001 with a double major in political science and journalism. Before the summer was out, he had his dream job: working in professional sports.

The toughest part of the job, he said, is balancing the needs of the media with those of the players.

“We’re often between a rock and a hard place,” he said. “We work for the team; our interest is to protect the players, the coaches…. Whatever I do reflects upon the team.”

At the same time, he is a conduit for the media, which can put pressure on him on several levels, whether it’s guarding access to a player who might not wish to be interviewed following a poor performance or finessing the turf battle between local press and national outlets like ESPN or Sports Illustrated.

“There’s a lot of tough spots we get put in as PR guys, and the problem is that we’re really rarely right,” he said. “The coaches are always right; the owners are always right — but it’s our job to make the Rams look good.”

Living in St. Louis has given Staenberg an appreciation for the large Jewish community he left behind.

Staenberg virtually grew up at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange, where his parents, Rick and Toby, and grandparents were deeply committed to the synagogue: His father is a past president; his grandfather, Harold, was one of the temple’s founders when Sharey-Tefilo merged with Temple Israel of Orange in 1982. Aaron carried on the family tradition of Jewish involvement, serving as president of STI’s youth group and on the regional board of NFTY-GER, the Garden Empire Region of the National Federation of Temple Youth.

“Everything about life is different in St. Louis,” he said. “In South Orange/Maplewood, there was a lot of diversity. In the Midwest it’s different; there’s not as much diversity. There is Jewish culture here, and the history is probably just as rich as back home, but it’s not home to me.” Staenberg has some family in St. Louis and attends their synagogue for the holidays. He makes it back home a few times a year, especially if the Rams play in the NJ area.

“Being from New Jersey, we think everything revolves around the New York area. I don’t necessarily disagree with that, but there’s so many different people,” he said. “I’m the only guy from the East Coast who works for the Rams. I’ve gotten to make friends with people from all over the country and all over the world, and it’s really been a great experience.”

Despite the demands, Staenberg realizes how lucky he is to have such a highly coveted post. “I wouldn’t do what I do if I didn’t like it. I live far away from where I grew up and where most of my friends and family are, but this is a dream job. If you would have told me when I was interning at the Jewish News that I would be working for an NFL team…I would have told you you’re crazy.”