As most of you know, this semester I am once again involved in an immersive learning experience, similar to what I did in the spring with Newslink Indiana. However, the program I'm participating in this fall is a little different. It's called Ball State Sports Link. (I know...I hate the name sports link but we had to please people like Dr. JoAnn Gora, the university president) Sports Link is a brand new program and the first of its kind in the country. In fact, it's already been featured in a few articles as a model for other universities. This semester I, along with 11 other students and 4 faculty members, are covering every facet of Ball State sports. Now...the program is anything but smooth yet. We're still trying to get computers with the needed software, cameras that will do what we need, and a million other things but it's off and running.
We had our first show last night. It was a 30-minute live show done from the basketball arena on campus. Now...live shows are very fun...and very stressful. This one was even more exciting and nerve racking because we were in the arena and the show was done completely out of a remote truck. Here are some pictures of the inside of the truck. Now let me explain that out of the 12 students in Sports Link one had any expereince on the truck. So we went through some training but for the most part we were all learning on the run. And the finished product was surprisingly good.
Now, I must mention that I was chosen as the producer for this first show. The producer is, in a word, the boss. I was in charge of making sure that everyone and everything was prepared and good to go. I'm not sure why the faculty chose me as the first producer. It was a very big responsibility considering that President Gora, the board of trustees, and Dean of Telecommunications, Roger Lavery were all eagerly awaiting the new program's first product. However, I couldn't be more pleased with how things turned out. And two of the faculty members have already told me they don't think they could have choosen a better producer for the first-ever sports link show. (I'm glad they think so)
I'll keep you updated on everything that I do with Sports Link this semester. Ken Sothman and I put together a piece of the swimming and diving coaches and I'll try to have it up to youtube soon.
Also, Cardinal Sports Live, a show that I'm talent for, will be attending the Emmy ceremonies in Cleveland, Oh this weekend. Unfortunately I won't be there because I'll be bringing the play-by-play of Ball State's football game at Akron on Saturday but it could mean the by Sunday I'll have an emmy award tacked on to my achievements!
