Allie Thompson

Gabriella Griffin (left) and Malia Larger (right), CHTV anchors, discuss the content for their upcoming broadcast. CHTV provides experience for students who want to pursue sports broadcasting.

Conell McDonough, WHJE student and junior, said the preparation before games is crucial to help the broadcasters balance the action but also show that it is a high school game.

He said, “We make preparations to see stats and understand that it is just high school sports, but on the broadcast we try to make it seem as big as possible.”

According to the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana University, it has always been noted that the practice of refreshing pre-game research close to broadcast time is a standard procedure in this fast-paced environment and applies to all levels of sports coverage.

Radio teacher Dominic James said the most important thing for quality sports broadcasting is to be factual and to give people a clear indication of what’s going on at all times but also to be neutral.

He said, “It’s quite tricky for young broadcasters to get their heads around sometimes because if Carmel is doing well, it’s important to be very excited, but it’s also very important to sound (excited) when the opponent team is scoring or doing good as well.”

McDonough echoed this sentiment and said that even though WHJE is a Carmel radio station, students are still supposed to stay as neutral as possible. 

“Obviously I want to portray the high school in the best light, but whatever I do for Carmel I have to do for the other high schools,” he said, “I can’t blatantly cheer for Carmel and root them on in the broadcast, but I cheer for them in the back of my mind.”

Senior Evan Bardos said he believes the relationship between the play-by-play announcer and the color commentary person is important in order to have a good relationship with the goal of making it more interesting for the audience.

He said, “If your color commentator talks too long and you have to catch up to the action, you paint a different picture than what actually happened because it’s more important to cut corners to the important stuff than get every single small minute detail.”

According to an article by the Journalism Education Association, young broadcasters often fall into the trap of both trying to do play-by-play, resulting in “two play-by-play announcers and little interesting commentary.” This shows how a breakdown in the defined roles and timing, as Bardos pointed out, leads to a less engaging product for the audience.

James shared this view as he said many young broadcasters are still developing the ability to balance energy and professionalism during live games.

“When you’re on air, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment especially if Carmel makes a big play,” he said, “But part of learning to be a good broadcaster is knowing when to let the excitement show and when to hold back so the audience can really follow what’s going on.”

McDonough said he believes time will help him become an excellent broadcaster due to the way he is being taught the same guidelines, ethics and equipment as professional broadcasters.

“I normally get a ton of feedback from Mr. James, and he constantly shows me professional examples which help me transform my game into something more formal,” he said. “I’m just more focused on trying to improve than focusing on the play-by-play and the best way to deliver it to the audience.”

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, sports broadcasting is important in high school sports because it creates a deeper connection between students, families and the community, provides unique educational opportunities and expands the visibility of athletes.

James said, “We see ourselves as student journalists, not as the voice of the student athletic department. We want to provide accurate coverage, and offer a platform for student voices that extends beyond wins and losses.”

James said at this school, “The WHJE program offers broadcasters the opportunity to practice their skills by treating high school sports with the same professional preparation and ethical standards as a national broadcast,” he said. “This hands-on experience, guided by mentors and reinforced by professional examples, prepares them not just for the next game, but for potential future careers in the media landscape.”

McDonough said, “Ultimately, the game is what it is, and our job is to broadcast games clearly and professionally,” he said.” But with every broadcast, I’m also learning how to build my craft, so that hopefully one day, this preparation and practice will get somewhere special in the future.”