Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network Welcomes Student Assistance for Broadcasts

  • The Critograph

    • By Evan Gates | Guest Writer

    LHSN student worker Ethan Marotske prepares a camera and tripod for Lynchburg’s home softball broadcast at Moon Field.

    With 18 sports teams competing for the University of Lynchburg, the institution’s Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network staff remains focused on employing one key demographic group to assist with broadcasts: the students.

    The network, known throughout campus as LHSN, streams each home athletic event throughout the academic year on YouTube.

    Many weekends feature multiple teams competing on campus; student workers provide expertise for camera work, stats, and announcing to assist the three full-time athletic communications staff members, “We just have to give them a good framework for what we need, and then let their skills and talents drive us to our next point,” said athletic director Jon Waters when discussing student workers. “We never would have made it this far if it was just based on full-time paid professionals.”

    Public address announcers bring excitement with their voices by introducing new batters and pitchers inside the stadium, but the preparation process begins before first pitch by highlighting the starters for each game.
    The center field stationary camera, elevated above the center field wall by a wooden post, captures footage of the field without requiring a cameraman. Computers inside the press box adjust between different angles.
    Prior to every broadcast, the announcers adjust levels on the soundboard in a sequence of audio tests to determine the proper volume output on the live stream.
    Students are invited to earn on-air experience, even when collaborating with the full-time staff. Ethan Marotske (left) is a student broadcaster, calling the game with Joe Brennan (right) who serves as an athletic communications assistant.
    Exemplified by LHSN’s Eli Thomas and Kevin Nester, student workers arrive an hour before first pitch and offer important assistance to the University’s three full-time communication staff members when producing broadcasts.
    With recent renovations to the complex, LHSN’s broadcast takes place in a newly constructed press box, including new speakers and camera ledge.

    Moon Field, the home to the University of Lynchburg softball team, is one of five broadcast locations where the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network streams athletic events throughout the academic year.
    Jonathan Foust, a student director for LHSN, must adjust camera angles based on the announcers’ remarks using a portable tablet, which is part of the broadcasts’ simplified setup at Moon Field.
    While LHSN previously broadcast games from a trailer behind home plate, the new press box represents the University’s vision to help students expand their knowledge, despite Lynchburg not offering a sports broadcasting major in its curriculum.

    While the University does not offer a sports broadcasting major, LHSN provides opportunities for students to expand production knowledge while earning hourly wages.

    “To be able to do it as early as I was able to made it a lot easier for me and others coming through the system,” said student broadcaster Ethan Marotske. “When others learn about it, more people want to work for LHSN.”

    Responding to technology issues on the fly is crucial for many workers when entering sports occupations.

    “It’s about staying calm and knowing we’re never going to have a perfect broadcast,” said Marotske. “The problem can be fixed.”

    Though students have become crucial to production, the Director of Communications, Ely Shilling, understands the importance of full-time staff members teaching newcomers.

    “Often, we’ll have three different events in three different locations,” said Shilling. “We try to space out our full-time staff to each be at one location and fill out the remaining spots with students.”

    To express interest in working with LHSN, contact shilling_e@lynchburg.edu. 

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