The Monticello Sages Football Team plays a key role in creating school pride and spirit, but sometimes we overlook the importance of the work that takes place behind the scenes.
A lot of the time, football camera crew members take on a lot of responsibility and time out of their day. Senior Gavlyn Valentine stated, “My two biggest responsibilities are leadership and quick problem solving. I have to make sure everything is up and going before the game and in between quarters. Batteries have to be switched and plugged in for the drone and the cameras need to be charged.”
With all of that baggage comes many benefits and perks. Valentine continued, “I’ve had special experiences like being on the field at the state game, riding on the firetrucks during the Homecoming parade, dinners every Thursday night with the team, getting into football games for free, a free meal in the press box during halftime on a home game, and just overall free ability.”
The expectations from the coaches are simple. Coach Woodham said, “I need to know that they’ll be there on time and ready to get things set up. Having everything set up well in advance of the start time means that I don’t have to worry about that while I’m trying to coach. I also expect them to take as much pride in capturing quality film as the athletes and coaches take in the game. On the weekends, my job is much easier if all angles are captured for every play.”
The requirements to be on the camera crew are pretty straightforward, but coaches expect nothing but the best from their members.
In the process of being taught how to work all aspects of film, Woodham stated, “thankfully I’ve not had to train a single person. The system was new when the current crew started so we learned everything together. Since then, we have only added 1 new member and the original crew did most of the training for me. Unfortunately, with all but one of these members graduating this year, I am going to have to start over. I’ve enjoyed my time with these girls and they take a great deal of pride in things running smoothly. After 3 years, I finally feel like the camera set-up isn’t a concern for me during the game.”
Being a part of the film crew is a huge responsibility, but it’s also exceptionally rewarding. You get a perspective of football that only a select few people get. It truly is amazing to see how everyone comes together to make sure the team is getting everything they need and knowing that you are a part of that.
If you are interested in getting to know more, contact Ryan Woodham at woory@sages.us.
Ella Harper, Staff Writer
The Sage Informer 
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