Week 7: Scoreboards and Stallouts
Okay, here we go. Last weekend was amazing. Stemming off of my internship with DC Rally and DC Shadow, I’ve been able to find connections to DC Breeze. So, last weekend I was working at their game against Philadelphia at Carlini Field here in DC (an expansion of my intership work). There was originally supposed to be a panel about working in sports, but because of the poor weather, that was put on hold.
I had the opportunity to work in the announcer’s booth. It was a great way to see the game and sport from a different angle, as I’d only seen it from the sidelines so far. I was given the responsibility of controlling the scoreboard (let’s just say it was a learning process, but I got the hang of it by the end of the game). I was set up right next to the official announcer and media director’s station (lots of important people!). I know I said it was a great way to see the sport from a new angle, but I can’t stress it enough—it was truly AMAZING. Before, I hadn’t really thought or had any way to really picture how all these behind-the-scenes roles worked, but being there next to everyone (in the middle of everything), I learned a lot. I also had a direct line to the referees (walkie-talkies); one of the refs I actually already knew from DC Shadow work, and I was coordinating back and forth when time adjustments were needed. So, that was a great way to see how those working down on the field stayed connected to those working in the stand.
(this was the view from where I was working)
(Both of those photos were taken during active game play, the left being the scoreboard controls)
I want to add it wasn’t just the work I was doing that made the game so meaningful—it was also a phenomenal game! The ending of the game was actually insane. It was down to the last seconds, and I’m carefully watching the field because calls at the last minute have very specific rules I have to follow when controlling the clock. DC Breeze was only down by one point and there in the end zone to score, and Philadelphia gained possession and everything just stopped. There were only 8 seconds on the clock, and I’m thinking, what’s happening, like why isn’t he passing it to get it out. I’d never seen a game end like that—the Philly player ended up striking a pose and just running out the clock on a stall count (for those who don’t know, in Ultimate you have a stall to 10—or rather 10 seconds—before you have to get a throw off or you lose possession, longer then the time left in the game at that point). It was made even crazier as that was the first time in 8!!! years that Breeze had lost to Philadelphia, and it came down to that last play.
Moving on from the action, I’ve been continuing to read and research, and add to my timeline, and that is going well, but slowly. I have also decided to steer away from interviews, as I’d been previously considering. This week will be less action-packed than last weekend, but I will be going back to Carlini Field. This time, however, I will be playing on the field, as our very own BASIS Ultimate Frisbee team will be competing in the DCSAA Championship this Saturday!!
Happy Wednesday, everyone! And goodbye!!
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