Event/Game Coverages
For me, doing event coverage is a balance of planning and opportunism. As much as possible, I try to make my editors aware when I cover an event and secure the necessary position and access. However, sometimes, it’s about being in the right place and seizing the opportunity to capture an important moment. On the back end, I know that once the significance of the moment is over, then the importance of the event coverage diminishes, so I always make sure to expedite the coverage to do the most service to my audience.
Event coverage: Winter Sports Pep Rally
This pep rally was one of the first we’d had since returning from the COVID-19 pandemic, making it a newsworthy event for our school. I interviewed several stakeholders on site, trying to do as much reporting as possible. On the back end, I wanted to capitalize on the hype of the rally, using photos from the event to complement the written coverage published within 12 hours of the event happening.
Game coverage: CCHS vs. Oconee varsity football
This event coverage was important, as Oconee County High School is one of our closest rivals in football. In the story, I made sure to get balanced perspectives by interviewing an opposing player as well as CCHS coaches and players. After photos were uploaded that night, I completed the coverage in the early morning to ensure it would be published while people were still talking about it.
Game coverage: CCHS vs. Maynard Jackson varsity basketball
This story had an added prominence because it was a playoff encounter between our top-seeded school and an underdog from Atlanta. However, because we lost the game, the disappointment and shock from students was an added context to the coverage. As with the Oconee game coverage, I made sure to have my draft written the night of the game, giving my editors time to edit it while the event was still relevant.