When the Trevecca men’s and women’s basketball games were broadcast live on February 6, the players weren’t the only ones with a chance to showcase their skills.
Behind the scenes, several Trevecca IT and communications students took the opportunity to shadow network professionals and get hands-on experience of what it’s like to film and broadcast a live event.
Taran Magee, a senior IT major, served as a camera assistant for the doubleheader against Cedarville University, broadcast live by American Sports Network.
“I held on to the cable for one of the cameras and would let it out and roll it back up as the cameraman would go on to the floor and then back to the side line,” said Magee.
Magee was one of several Trevecca students who worked with the broadcast crew of about 25 professionals during the games.
Trevecca often broadcasts live video of its games online, said Greg Ruff, director of sports information. The February 6 broadcast, part of ASN’s NCAA Division II Game of the Week package, marked the first time a Trevecca sporting event has been broadcast live on a national level.
“I believe this is a great opportunity for our video crew to see what the American Sports Network will do in the Trojan Fieldhouse,” Ruff said. “Their crew travels all over the country broadcasting games, and we get the benefit of their experience in our beloved facility.”
Ruff, David Klimkowski, audio/visual media specialist and Seth Conley, communication studies professor, organized the opportunity for students to shadow the ASN professionals. Students got the chance to take a look at the network’s latest technology and equipment, as well as learn about the technique and detail that goes into broadcasting a live game.
IT major Kelly Boyer is part of the broadcast crew of students that usually films athletic events. She worked in the production truck for both games, watching the producer and his crew.
“I ended up working with the instant replay machines and had the opportunity to run a few commercial breaks during the game,” Boyer said. “Besides that, I had a copy of the game schedule and helped organize commercial playlists and their lengths.”
Magee said the weekend opened up a door of opportunity for him, as he was able to make some contacts with professionals at ASN.
Boyer, who plans to work in sports broadcasting at the collegiate or national level in the future, agreed.
“With the knowledge we've gained from shadowing ASN, we can continue to strive for the very best quality of broadcasting with what we have at Trevecca,’ she said. “We have an even higher goal to strive for after seeing what we could become, and I can't wait to see what is in store for us and our broadcasts. I loved every minute of this experience, and I hope that we can have more opportunities like this in the future.”