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High school students take part in SID camp 11:21 a.m., Aug. 14, 2006--High school students from Delaware, Maryland and Ohio were able to experience the life of a sports information director while learning about the field from experts in the industry during a special summer camp held July 16-20 on the University of Delaware campus. “The Sports Information Director Camp is designed to provide high school students with the opportunity to learn about the world of sports information,” Matthew J. Robinsion, UD associate professor of sport management and director of the camp, said. “The goal of the camp is to train the students so that they can serve as sports information directors at their high schools during the upcoming year. This was a very talented group who took advantage of all the opportunities the camp presented.” During the various educational sessions, students were taught the key aspects of the position. From writing press releases and game stories to web site design and the production of game programs to keeping score at a baseball game, the lessons were specifically planned to provide the students with a basic understanding of the sports information field. “The SID camp was a fantastic experience for me,” Matt McCann, a junior at St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington, said. “It was very exciting to learn about all the aspects of the job. I can't wait to apply these techniques this coming year.” The highlight of the week was the class trip to Baltimore where the students took part in tours of the Baltimore Ravens' state-of-the-art practice facility and the Baltimore Orioles' cozy confines at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. During the trip, the group met and discussed the role of a professional media relations director with Chad Steele of the Ravens and Bill Stetka of the Orioles. “My favorite experience was hands down the tour of the Baltimore Ravens' training facility,” Sean Marraffini, who will be entering his senior year at Middletown High School, said. “I got to see that it really takes a lot of work building up to every Sunday and that everyone on the staff plays a key role in the team's success.” Also during the seminar, Kevin Tritt, assistant sports information director at UD, told the students about the daily life of an SID and what the job entails. He also discussed the relationship a sports information department must cultivate with the media in order for the two groups to coexist successfully. Later in the week, Kevin Tresolini, a senior sportswriter for The News Journal, explained the media's interest in a sports information department and what he needs from it to successfully complete his job. He also discussed the life of a sports journalist, as well as how a student could enter that profession. After visiting the newspaper's facilities, the students met with Kevin Linton, a sales executive and public address announcer for the Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball team. He discussed the world of minor league sports and the tools an individual needs to succeed in it. Throughout the camp, the skills being honed by the group were tested on a daily basis. During the Blue Rocks baseball game, the students were required to keep a play-by-play account of the action and later write a press release on deadline. “Overall the camp was very successful,” Matt Gibson, a junior at Kenwoood High School in Essex, Md., said. “It taught me the skills that I need to become my school's SID in a fun, fast and interesting way.” For more information on the SID camp, contact at Robinson at (302) 837-6680 or by email at [mjrobins@udel.edu]. Article by Ken Kline, CHS '07 |
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