Three years ago, the fan football experience at West Ottawa was traditional – you'd watch the game, listen to the Public Address Announcer, and perhaps enjoy some music from a CD player. Fast forward to today, and the difference is remarkable. With the addition of West Ottawa Stadium in the fall of 2022, a mobile live streaming studio already being utilized this year, and recently announced video scoreboards coming to the main gym in 2025, the Panthers are revolutionizing how their community experiences high school sports.
The transformation of the game day experience at West Ottawa High School has begun, involving students and adults in a purposeful, collaborative partnership.
The West Ottawa Broadcasting Network (WOBN) stands at the center of this transformation. Led by broadcasting teacher Lindsay Walcott, who has been with the school for 20 years, and supported by Athletic Director Bill Kennedy, the program has grown from just 13-14 students two decades ago to a full day of broadcasting classes. Students like Quinn VanderKamp, Cody Schurman, and Fatima Correa-Morales are the faces of this revolution – handling everything from play-by-play commentary to switching camera angles, creating graphics, and managing the music that energizes the crowd.
What makes this program truly special is how it combines authentic learning experiences with genuine contributions to the school community. These students aren't just practicing broadcasting in a classroom setting; they're running actual live events watched by hundreds of fans.
Perhaps most impressive is how these students have leveraged their creative control to enhance the game day experience. They've created video content for the Daktronics Jumbotron, coordinated with the band for live drum rolls, and curated music playlists that appeal to every demographic in the stadium – from current students to administrators to parents. As Bill Kennedy noted, "There's no one that even comes close to what we're pulling off."
As West Ottawa prepares to expand their video capabilities to the gymnasium in 2025, the foundation laid by these pioneering students will benefit future classes for years to come. While they won't be there to enjoy the new technology themselves, they take pride in knowing they helped build something lasting. As Quinn put it, "In football and baseball, we always say that we're building a program not for us, but for the people below us."
WOBN represents what's possible when schools invest in both technology and student empowerment. By trusting students with real responsibility and allowing them to make meaningful contributions, West Ottawa has not only enhanced their athletic events but also created authentic pathways to college and careers in broadcasting, sports management, and beyond.
This episode was recorded on March 11, 2025.
Podcasts now dropping at 5pm every Sunday evening for that late weekend chill, or listen Monday AM during that morning commute or workout. Please like, follow, subscribe, or leave a review. Even share with someone who might like to listen. Thanks for taking the time to get to know each other a little bit better. The people who make West Ottawa Athletics what it is. Go WO!
Special thanks to Laura Veldhof Photography.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Katten plows right through that offensive player
and forces the moving screencall as she passes it in to
Honeycutt.
As she brings it up the floor,honeycutt passes the corner.
Brooke gets her own reboundafter that shot and puts it up
and makes the two what?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
a rebound and score there.
Ward for three.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
No good Seems as though she cannot make a three
on that side yet.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Stolen by Branch.
Here she's trying to look upcourt but Catton's defending her
pretty heavily.
That will stay with EK.
That's a foul on Taylor Catton.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Great effort from Catton there getting on the
floor to go get that ball.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
That was the sound of history the first ever live
stream basketball broadcast atWest Ottawa High School with
play-by-play color commentary,multiple camera angles and
high-end graphics delivered toyou by our very own West Ottawa
Broadcast Network.
Hey everybody, welcome back tothe 29.1 Podcast.
I'm your host, rodney Velinga,and I'm joined once again by
(01:07):
Panthers Athletic Director, billKennedy.
A little less than three yearsago, most West Ottawa sports
were delivered to you, the fan,like they always were you watch
the game, listen to some PAannouncing, maybe grab a hot dog
and there's a little musicthrown in.
But with the addition of WestOttawa stadium in the fall of
2022, the just announcedaddition of three video
(01:32):
scoreboards inside the main gymfor the fall of 2025 and the
implementation of a mobile livestreaming studio already being
used this year, the game dayexperience for fans and players
alike has changed and ischanging tremendously.
Being a fan at football, socceror a lacrosse game is very
different, with all theamenities and the in-game
experience with music,scoreboard videos and lights
(01:53):
makes the downtime between playsthat much more fun.
And now indoor sports fromvolleyball to basketball to
competitive cheer will take on anew look for years to come.
However, it's going to take alot of people, a lot of content
and a lot of tech in order topull this off.
And it's our pleasure towelcome from Wobien, otherwise
known as the West OttawaBroadcasting Network, today's
(02:16):
four guests.
And who might it be?
Quinn Vanderkamp, cody Skerman.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Fatima Correa-Morales , lindsay Walcott.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
We are so pumped to have you all here.
One of the great pleasures thisyear has been getting to be
around you all and kind of seethings through from the very
first night, kind of walkinginto a football press box and
being like holy cow there's alot going on to now.
You guys are like Codybroadcasting a basketball game,
doing play-by-play and colorcommentary, so really pumped to
(02:45):
have.
You.
Guys are like Cody broadcastinga basketball game, doing
play-by-play and colorcommentary, so really pumped to
have you all here.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, it's been a year where, for the first time
ever, you guys have really beeninvolved and it's really been
fun for us to do it.
Let's go back to that livestream Cody, who was on the mic
that night.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
It was me and Connor Knapp.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
You and Connor Knapp doing the first live stream ever
Play.
It was me and Connor Knapp.
You and Connor Knapp doing thefirst live stream ever
play-by-play.
What was it like?
I know you've always wanted todo things like that.
What was it like to actually bedoing it?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
I mean at first, you know it was a little
nerve-wracking because neverreally been in front of the mic
like that live ever.
So the first few minutes was alittle rough.
We were getting used to it.
But once we really got into thegame, and especially in the
second half, we were justrolling and just kind of saying
whatever came to mind and itworked out pretty well.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah, I had it on in my office yesterday as I was
doing some work and I'm like, oh, they're really kind of getting
their groove.
You guys kind of got into thatthird quarter.
It kind of picked up a littlebit.
But I thought you guys didgreat from the beginning and, to
be honest, one of the hardestthings to do in broadcasting is
play by play.
Whether you're recording, youknow something, a will be in a
show or whatever you know.
You can go back and edit it,all that stuff.
(03:53):
But live is a whole differentball game and for the first one
ever you guys were great.
Quinn and Fatima guys werethere too.
What were your jobs that night?
Speaker 6 (04:01):
quinn, you might want to start us off my job was to
run the score bug and make sureeverything was running smoothly.
If anything went wrong, I kindof felt like I had to take
control of that and did you acouple.
You had a few things happenright yeah, I mean well, this
recently before in live streamswe had buffering like we would
just go out, and that mean, ifthat would happen, I would have
(04:24):
to try that.
It still went out many times,but we couldn't really do
anything about it that's okay,though you're pushing the
envelope.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
How about for you, fatima?
Speaker 4 (04:31):
I was in charge of switching cams and making sure
that the camera was on the ballthe entire game.
So I was mainly just switchingbetween the cameras cam one, cam
two, cam three, switching uppositionings like that.
We want to zoom into adifferent viewpoint of the
players.
I would be in charge of that aswell.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, it's a really sweet setup over in the corner
there.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Bill, it's a long way away from.
Hey, I would get text messageson game nights.
Hey, there's a live streamrunning tonight and I would have
to go into our huddle cameraand make sure that it was pushed
out.
Now we're engaging students,and what an experience for you
all really to take forward inlife.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
So Lindsay Walcott, I can call you Wally, right, I
can do that.
Absolutely Everybody else does,so I figure I can pop in.
What was it like for you?
You know, this is your life'spassion, this work, and there's
a mobile streaming studio.
You have three livebroadcasting students and who's
the mobile streaming studio?
You have three livebroadcasting students and who's
the gentleman's name?
Who does IT?
Speaker 7 (05:29):
Logan Thompson.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Logan Thompson.
So Logan Thompson's up theretoo.
What's it like for you?
Just to you know wherever youstarted off in this broadcasting
and now you're seeing that,what's it like for you.
Speaker 7 (05:38):
Well, when I started at Woe 20 years ago, I think I
had 13 or 14 students inbroadcasting total.
20 years ago, I think I had 13or 14 students in broadcasting
total and today I teachbroadcasting all day and it's
just such a joy to have theaddition of this live
broadcasting class.
So grateful, the district stoodbehind us and supported us not
(05:59):
only with the addition of theclass, but also a very
significant investment both inmy studio and control room, as
well as the mobile studio youreferenced earlier, and it is a
joy to walk alongside thesestudents.
I mean, we are chatting withthe trailblazers right here and
they are awesome.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
Yeah, wally and I have obviously known each other
for a number of years and wewould have conversations about
man.
It would be really cool toengage students, but a lot of
times we were limited by, firstand foremost, hours that we both
work, because we both pour aton of hours into our jobs
already and it's taking onsomething else.
But then the technology piece.
(06:39):
You know, we could have neverpulled this off at old panther
stadium.
I mean, we were running musicwith a cd over there.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
That's three years ago, guys, we were running music
with a cd well, you gotta tellthem how I used to do it,
because I didn't have the cdplayer running for me.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
So I first met rodney .
He was doing girls lacrossegames for us because his
daughter, claire, played girlslacrosse and he would come up
and he would run the scoreboardand he would do music and
announce.
He did it all right in one spotand I walk up there one night
to see how he's playing music.
He had his mic layingunderneath a coat, with his cell
(07:16):
phone next to the mic, and thecoat would go over top so that
we could have a conversation andnot come over the pa
announcement.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Oh, it was great, yeah, and there was times I even
like I brought up the tech.
I'd bring in a beach towel wecould have a conversation and
not come over the PA.
Oh, it was great, yeah, andthere was times I even like I
brought up the tech, I wouldbring in a beach towel which was
heavier, that could dampen thesound more.
So we did that.
It was always pretty fun, it'spretty crazy.
Yeah, okay, I'll start.
(07:45):
Yeah, yeah, be yourselves.
Be yourselves for that.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
So we actually start prep fifth hour, which is me and
Quinn's live broadcasting hour,we pull up all the stuff.
If it needs to get pulled upfrom the classroom to the
elevator, get it upstairs on theindoor track and then we take
another two hours just pluggingin things in, undoing wiring and
things like that.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
A lot of prep time.
Undoing wiring takes about anhour by itself because it always
gets tangled, because we shoveit all into a box you shouldn't
shove it all into a box.
Speaker 7 (08:15):
Quinn, I did send you a video on how to properly coil
and uncoil our cable.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
You told me about that, quinn we do our best to do
it, it's like an under overovermethod and it's very difficult
because these wires areextremely expensive, expensive,
and when they're expensivethey're stiff and they don't
roll up easily.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
And they're sensitive yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
When I was going up to visit you guys.
That one time I think I almosttripped over that wire because I
didn't know it was going to bethere.
One time I think I almosttripped over that wire because I
didn't know it was going to bethere.
I'm like, oh alright, there's alot going on up here now, so it
was pretty cool.
Let's get to know the three ofyou a little bit, though,
because you guys are allathletes as well.
Fatima, you're lacrosse.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You went out as a sophomore or did you do it from
freshman year?
Speaker 4 (08:56):
I did not do it freshman year.
I started sophomore year.
I didn't do cuts.
I joined for fun and it was aneasy sport to get into, for West
Ottawa at least.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
And you had kind of a long vision with joining
lacrosse as well, right, kind ofa resume type thing.
Yeah, yes, yes, I did Talk tous about that.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
So I was talking to Kayla and she was like, yeah, we
need extra girls, just come, wedon't really make cuts or
anything, we actually need girls.
And I'm like, well, I do needsomething on my resume, so I
guess I'll join.
There wasn't much thoughtprocess going through my head
when I joined, like I didn'teven know how to play the sport.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
You're a nice player too, if I can say, like I watch
you play.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
I wouldn't have guessed that.
Yeah and um started off on JV,obviously, but I was actually JV
captain because I knew thereins of it pretty well and I
came to every single practice.
So I was awarded that littletitle for my first year playing,
which was really awesome andCody, your tennis player, played
doubles all these years.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
You've been playing since little dude right.
How old were you when you gotstarted?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
um, obviously I started playing for school in
sixth grade, but I think I meanhonestly, I don't remember a
time like I wasn't at.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Probably DeWitt Tennis Center taking lessons and
all that.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yeah, but I was doing like like the summer camps at
West Ottawa since, like I canremember, like my whole life.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I guess Right.
So your tennis season is done,you have lacrosse coming up, and
then, quinn, you've gotbaseball coming up this spring.
How pumped are you for thisbaseball season?
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Words can't describe it.
I'm more than pumped.
I'm ecstatic.
It's not doing it justice.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
It's not doing it justice.
You guys had a big win againstwell, not a win, but you lost
but against a powerhouse.
At the end, yes, and you pushedthem Some great pitching game.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
You got a lot of people coming back.
A lot of people, I meaneveryone who played in that game
is coming back.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
We've got some big games on the schedule.
I was actually talking with mycohort over at Forest Hill
Central today to make sure wehad the umpires lined up for our
doubleheader at LMCU, which isgoing to be really cool to get
into that kind of stadium toplay a game.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
So what's it like for you guys to be athletes and now
you're going to be graduatingsenior athletes?
But what's it like from anathlete's perspective to know
that this type of you knowwhether we're going to cover
games and all that type of stuffis coming up.
What does it make you feel forfuture athletes, quinn?
Speaker 6 (11:21):
Well, I'm really excited because I feel, with the
coverage, I mean you can dowhatever you want.
I mean that you can.
It doesn't end Like we couldpush this out to social media.
You could be awesome is what Isee.
Everyone could watch you.
It's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
I think it's a very cool way to like look back at
the way you played.
It's a lot more visually.
You can see the mistakes thatyou made and then like, desect
from that.
Coaches have a lot more easierway of seeing how the opponents
team also played too.
You're not just looking at anopen field or an open court,
you're looking at the actualside of the court of the
opponents and you're looking atthe goalie and everything in
terms of that you can see.
(12:00):
You know, oh, I made a pass, Ican do something different, I
can do another playback, orthings like that.
I find it more like tactical interms of planning for next
future games.
It's a lot more useful.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
I love the way people's minds work.
That's awesome.
How about you, Cody?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's super fun that we're going
to get like I mean assumingthere's going to be a lot more
people like watching ourathletes play.
Now, as a tennis player, youdon't get a lot of people coming
to your matches.
It's high school tennis andit's your parents.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
It's live stream that second doubles match.
Let's go First doubles, seconddoubles.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
I love it when people come and watch my match.
I just think it's going to be alot of fun for kids to have a
bunch of people watching them,because to me it is always the
more people the better.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
For years we've hosted the Daktronics Summits in
the summertime Usually thoseare in June and we'd see these
groups.
There's a school in Wisconsinand they're live streaming and
with color commentating, likeseven different sports and I'm
like man, that would be reallyfricking cool to get to a point
(13:08):
where we can do that stuff.
And now you know, in large partbecause we had people that were
pushing us right, Wally, we had,we had some students who were
eager, and I'm so thankful thatwe had those students, because
now we look at where we're atand where we can go from here.
It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Well, is it ever a little overwhelming?
Quinn mentioned this.
There's so much we can do andit's almost like you can just
keep pushing, but it takesresources to pull that off.
What's it like trying to be incharge of this?
Speaker 7 (13:40):
So I like to say that it's both.
It's both very rewarding andinvigorating, but it is also
extremely challenging.
Just when you figure somethingelse out, a new hurdle or issue
presents itself.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
All true.
Speaker 7 (13:59):
And this is life.
Right, it's a really accuraterepresentation of life in that
regard.
But we just keep pushingthrough and the students have
been really helpful.
Logan Thompson, who we referredto earlier, has been
tremendously helpful, but on anygiven day I'm running several
(14:22):
lines of communication withdifferent people and different
resources and trying to figurethings out, from graphics to new
locations, to oh my goodness,we need some new cabling out at
the stadium.
It's a lot.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Yeah, it's a lot, but seeing our kids attack it and
the joy that they're getting outof it, just okay, I'm going to
handle this.
We're going to add this to theplate and we're going to figure
it out as we go along.
It's not always going to beperfect, but that's how we learn
, willingness andacknowledgement that not
everything is always going to beperfect.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
I think that that's a real key to our success,
because obviously the first timeit's like not great and stuff
doesn't always work, and thatI'm just grateful for that.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
So thank you.
Speaker 7 (15:17):
Bill.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yeah, for sure.
What's really cool about doingthis type of stuff is that
everybody in this room right nowyou just don't like this stuff.
You love this stuff, right?
Truth be truth.
Yeah, yes.
So, Quinn, I'm talking to yourdad the other day and he said
you've always been a tinkerersince you've been little.
Is that fair enough?
Speaker 6 (15:34):
Yeah, that's fair.
Yeah, all right so.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Legos right.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
Legos.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Legos have been a big part, so I don't know where the
devious comes from yet, butdefinitely that tinkering comes
from there and you're like thetech guy around the house.
For you moving into a role likethis and doing this type of
work, do you find it was almostinevitable for you?
Speaker 6 (15:56):
Absolutely.
I mean, well, I'm a part of theband.
I have a band.
We play country music.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Do the promo Go ahead .
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Well, Little House on the ahead.
Well, little house on the lakelittle house on the lake 24 on
instagram.
Um, come check us out, we'reawesome, um.
But yeah, well, I run all thecabling and I've been trying,
we're recording music and we'redoing all this stuff and I mean,
I've been just been pluggingaway at it and it's all been
plugging stuff in.
So it just kind of fitsnaturally that I would be
(16:25):
setting up live streaming stuffand doing this and building
legos and being in year three ofwood shop and all these things,
because it's just what I kindof do right, it's just something
you love to do, and I found himas well.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
You are very prominent, bill.
Maybe you want to speak to thisbecause you know more.
Yeah, I mean you're everywhere.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
You're like miss west ottawa.
You hosted survivor um.
You hosted the first generation, our first voice generation
event.
You attend board meetings yesyou weren't always as outgoing,
though, from what I understand,no, I was not.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
No, I was like I don't know.
I was very to myself at.
So, starting off high schooland then probably like prior to
that as well, so anything beforesophomore year, I was just a
very quiet kid, didn't really domuch.
And then soon enough I justflipped a switch and was like
I'm going to change stuff junioryear and senior year and just
go out there and do whatever Ican, and whatever I can is
(17:24):
honestly everything that WestOttawa provides.
So I started taking on WBNextracurriculars, things like
that, and I just kind of hit theground running.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
And then, when you were much younger this shocked
me when you told me I couldn'tbelieve it, but you had some
stuttering issues as a young kid, right.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
I did.
Yes, I had a very bad speechimpediment.
You couldn't really understanda single word I was saying as I
was speaking, and it was a veryhard thing for me to like
overcome.
And a lot of therapy, a lot ofspeech therapy had to be put
into play throughout myeducation, honestly, which is
probably one of the biggestfactors as to why I was so quiet
(18:03):
and very to myself.
And then, soon enough, Istarted kind of gaining
confidence in high school when Isoon enough learned how to mask
my stuttering and I just kindof had to work through that
mentally and then just starttaking on every opportunity I
can.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Well, you got a nice smile on your face.
Can you comment on that?
Speaker 7 (18:24):
I just love these students so, so much.
They all are such hard workersand it's a joy to work with them
and see their success.
Wouldn't be here without them.
It's a good time to work withthese guys.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah, it's really special, cody, for you talking
to your mom about you a littlebit.
You've always been engaged intennis.
That's kind of been your mainpassion being at school.
But she said watching you beinvolved in this is something
that you're just as animated.
One thing that she told me sheshared with me was you were up
in the booth for football andyou took a picture when you were
(19:03):
up there and I think you sentit to your parents yeah what, Uh
, what did and what was that allabout?
Tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Um, so I'm pretty sure that picture was of me
running the music, Um, and Imean just being up there for
that.
That might've been the firsttime.
Um, it was just like man, likewe're at this like super nice
stadium and we're like runninglike all this stuff here and
(19:30):
like just being in charge ofmusic or the scoreboard or
whatever, like it was just superfun and like being able to
really be a like be a part ofthe fan experience.
That's something I'm passionateabout and yeah, it's kind of a.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
She said you.
I think you put in the line uh,this is a or this needs to be
my life.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
Yeah Something like that to that effect.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Right and it and it has been I always.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
I always, uh, tell people and students to figure
out what your passion in life isand then find a way to get paid
to do it.
And if you do those things,it's not going to feel like work
right, it's going to be.
You don't have to go to work,you get to go to work.
There are days that I'mchallenged in that aspect I see
(20:15):
the most.
I see that side of you but forthe most part I am super
passionate about athletics andthe things that it provides, and
then you start to branch outinto this kind of stuff and it
just it fires me up even more soup until this year this will be
in athletic department.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Collaboration didn't exist, and now it's started.
One thing that's great aboutwest ottawa it's a school of
opportunity.
It's a school aboutcollaboration.
It's a school of we're gonna godo this.
Can you guys just talk, maybejust real briefly, about how
that came about?
Speaker 5 (20:46):
so in the stadium, um , we were in the design process
and we knew that we were gettingsome boards through daktronics.
Daktronics is the biggest namein stadium scoreboards.
Uh, you go to ford field, it'sdaktronics.
So I knew that there was likesome curriculum stuff that came
with the video boards.
At that point and wally and Isat down and we chatted at that
(21:07):
point and it was kind of like sothat graphics package yeah, so
it was more than that it was alittle bit more into it than
that.
But at that time there were somechallenges that wally was
facing just in the wobe endstudio with technology and the
limitations that were there, andit was kind of we kind of
kicked the can down the road alittle bit and said, hey, once,
(21:28):
once we get this studio stufffigured out, then we're going to
be willing to kind of take iton.
Speaker 7 (21:34):
Yeah, I, I think the first step, as I recall and
we've had a lot of conversationsabout this- bill over the years
and you're older, so you're notgoing to remember much, but I
think Bill and I have beendreaming about this for many
years and I've had conversationswith administrators before Bill
(21:55):
was even here like this iswhere we should be headed, this
is where we should be going.
I just couldn't do it by myself, so we're in a different
situation now.
I think the first step that wetook, or the plan we made, was
for my advanced broadcastingstudents to make videos to be
(22:15):
used at those football games,and that was a smashing success.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Huge, I mean it adds so much to the game experience.
Having five questions with thestudent athlete or bottom is uh
29.
One hype video, all thoselittle pieces just make a game.
Night at west ottawa is justdifferent than anywhere else you
(22:40):
go.
I can say that because I'm atall of our games all of the
times and there's no one thateven comes close to what we're
pulling off, which is why I'm soexcited about this gym project.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah, and there's also another piece.
There's also some light comedy,some dry humor that was done at
West Ottawa Stadium.
Let's hit it.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
I don't know about this video.
What is happening right now?
Quinn, what did you do?
Speaker 8 (23:11):
Breaking news West Ottawa's black hole has gone
missing.
They were lasting around WestOttawa Stadium at 6 pm today.
Hold on, we're getting wordthat they have not disappeared.
Let's send this to our expert,cody Skirman, with more on this.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Thanks, Quinn, when you take a look at the black
hole, you may not see anything.
This is because our studentsare equipped with camouflage.
This is an example of acamouflage shirt, just like the
camouflage shirt.
You may not see our students,but you sure can hear them.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
It was pretty funny.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
I just know that if Quinn and Cody's name is
mentioned in the video, likethey're up to no good.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Well, it's so much true what I really liked about
it, and the fact that you don'teven know about it is even
better.
To be honest with you.
Speaker 7 (23:52):
I'm not at every game , you guys are graduating
anyways.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
But the great part about this, I remember you guys.
Hey, we made this video.
Can we play it?
I'm like I guess, Sure,Whatever they asked you instead
of me.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
Well, it was already made.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
It was already made and I think you guys played it
for me Not really looking for myapproval, more or less going is
he going to be offended or not?
And I wasn't.
And then it was great becauseyou guys played it.
The cool part about that isnumber one.
Nobody asked you to do it, no,and it really added an extra I
don't know just an extra layerto the black hole in the student
.
What was it like for you guysto make it?
(24:25):
Cody?
Speaker 2 (24:26):
well, quinn came up with the idea and, um, we just
kind of went into the wobianstudio, got in front of the
green screen and, um, you know,it took a few tries to get the
lines down well, we keptlaughing, yeah, while we were
recording it, so, yeah, but yeah, we got it down and then, uh,
quinn put it together, uh, andthen you know, we threw it on
there.
And then Quinn put it together,and then you know, we threw it
(24:47):
on there.
It was great, it was hilarious.
You guys wrote that together.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Yeah, it was just us.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
If you're doing stuff and it's not a class
requirement, you're definitelyin then.
Yeah, timed that up, perfect,all right.
Well, that was really fun to do.
It was a great part, greatmemory, even a great memory for
me right now.
And, uh, wally, maybe someextra class credit.
You know, bring the grades up alittle bit.
If that's okay, let's go to thefirst time you guys are in the
press box oh my god because it'sa big, big deal yes, go ahead
(25:17):
because you're on it yeah, I wasbrimming with excitement
actually when we had firstentered into that booth stadium.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Uh, wally was like, okay, grab a notepad, bring a a
pencil, start taking notes.
And I took that very seriously.
I don't think Willing evenunderstood.
I was literally peering overhis shoulder.
I'm like Wally, look he'sclicking on these buttons and
the stuff pops up on thejumbotron.
I need to figure this out, andI was just having a blast just
trying to figure out thingsbefore anybody ever told me I
(25:43):
was so into it.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
I remember telling these guys okay, bill has
secured a couple of spare seatsfor us, and just I didn't want
them to be disappointed, right?
So, like prepping them forwe're basically gonna have to
sit in the corner and snuggle upthere's not a lot of room Bring
(26:07):
a writing utensil and paper andI'll let them tell you.
But by the end of the game thesituation in the booth was very
different than what I preppedthem for.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
Well, when we got in there, some people weren't
prepped that we were going inthere.
And then the statisticians theytook a quick exit when they saw
us, so we had a little morespace to stretch out.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
It did open up a little bit.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
It did yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Now the fun part about that is whenever, like, we
have shared, I say this groupright here has a shared mind
about this stuff, and I'm justgoing to say it.
I'm looking over my shoulderand I'm watching you write stuff
down.
I'm watching and it's almostlike it's not just one thing.
I'm watching you write stuffdown.
I'm watching and it's almostlike it's not just one thing,
it's everything.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
He moved the mouse to the right at 45 degree angle.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
I was like all right.
And then we all looked at eachother I think at all at the same
time and it's like why don'tyou come down here and do this?
Speaker 4 (26:59):
I was in shock, like I didn't think you'd actually
let me, and I was like, yeah,home football game number one of
the season.
Yeah, yeah, I was so excitedlike I was just happy to be
there, but I did not knowanything about football.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Oh, we're going to get to that now.
Yeah, so let's get into it Allright, I have a category in this
podcast where we talk about ourfails, but if Fatima wants to
do her fail now, that's a fail.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
I think that's a learning opportunity.
Yeah, it's the same thing.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
They go together, they go together.
Oh okay, so all right.
So one of the jobs up.
Fatima, you want to give this atry, Cause we're trying to do
different jobs and she's likewhat's a down?
I was like oh man and I'm onthe fly.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
I'm like and the game is going like telling me this
yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
And I'm like, you know what, you know what a down
is.
A down is a turn, and a teamgets four turns to get 10 yards.
And then you were good yeah, itwas good.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Like I was set after that and then you're like just
focus where the refs like stayand then that's when like
they're gonna go back to likethat position.
If you know, like there's somelike there's a foul or something
, and I'm like, okay, I'll justfocus on the refs.
And I was just I didn't realizehow many refs there were at the
football stadium as the gamewas going, so it was like so
many things I was learning asthe game was going.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
But yeah, it was fun does it make you watch football
differently now that you?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
you know what it really does.
It does, yeah.
It's not like, oh, there's justa couple of guys on the field
tossing ball.
It's like there's so muchproduction that goes behind the
scenes.
I've learned a lot from andit's like now I know I can even
implement some of that knowledgeand what I view on the TV, from
professionals to WBN and whatwe're doing right now.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Cody, you're up there .
You were up there the firstnight too.
I don't think Quinn, was thatfirst time right, or were you?
All three of you were.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
I was there the second night you were the second
time.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Okay, so let's go to what you're up there the first
night.
What's that like for you, quinn?
Speaker 6 (29:00):
Chaos.
There are people yelling acrossthe booth, rodney is, or Mr
Valinga is running thescoreboard and then he's playing
some music and Mr Van Innsdecides to start talking and
he's got to bring it down andthere's just a lot going on and
people are all talking to eachother and can hear everything
(29:20):
that's being said at once.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
When you first jump in there, it's total chaos.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
I loved the atmosphere, though that was just
a point where I knew where Iwanted to be at that moment.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
And that crew up there has been together for a
very long time John Merriman,carl Von Enns, jim Keekover
those three have been togetherfor 40-plus years, together
doing football games, and so tohave this new group kind of
inject themselves into that, Iwas standing back like a mad
(29:50):
scientist, like, oh, I can'twait, I'm going to go down on
the sideline now.
I can't wait to hear how thisgoes.
Speaker 7 (29:57):
They really did, from my perspective, enjoy having
these young kids up there, theseyoung adults, I should say I
could tell it kind ofinvigorated them.
Speaker 5 (30:07):
Yeah, and they're all educators at their core right.
Carl was a longtime teacher,john Merriman was a teacher, so,
yeah, I think they came to loveit.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Cody, when you're up there the first night, I believe
you were doing graphics thefirst time, right?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
I believe so yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
I think that was our first ever update, so we had
this idea to do an update in theOK Red and I think you did that
that night or a different night?
I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Yeah, it was like around the Red and it was all
the scores for all the gamesgoing on.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Yeah, it's not like you press a button, it's
automated and it's done.
You had to build that.
You know you're building thegraphic but getting the store
scores, putting it in and it'son a I mean it's on a crunch
time type of thing and then tolook all through like kennedy's
files and everything's a messand you're just like, so where
do I?
Speaker 4 (30:53):
put what?
Speaker 5 (30:54):
it's when you guys need to organize my files.
More is what.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
I'm hearing yeah, you should, you really should All
right Part of being up there isactually.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
I felt this way the first time I did it, because
back in the day I didn't doanything here until I started
doing it, and I remember thefirst time it was like, oh, you
can go in the football booth.
And I was like what Beside Karlvon Inns?
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Seriously.
And I remember going up therefeeling like it was hallowed
ground.
Yeah, totally, I was like man,I really don't want to mess
anything up here Because, likeyou said, they've been doing it
for like 40 years together andyou don't want to ruin their
groove.
You want to be that guy.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
And when you're up there you kind of learn some of
these unwritten rules.
Let's see if you guys figuredout some of those, what they
were.
Quinn, you want to jump on that?
Speaker 6 (31:42):
Don't talk over Carl.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Yeah, don't talk over Carl, and sometimes he'll give
you a glance and that's likeokay, turn on the music, hurry
up and turn on the music anddon't have the music playing as
he's speaking.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
Yeah, we always talked about that too.
We talked about that, thecompeting sounds.
Do you want to maybe speak tothat for a minute, Cody oh, with
the band.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Well, just in general , like being in the booth if
you're running music and there'sa band and there's an announcer
one of the biggest faux pas iscompeting sounds.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, like no one is paying attention to you, like
you have to pay attention toeveryone else.
It's like it's like you're thequarterback.
You need to know what everybodyelse is doing.
So like if you mess up likethat's no one else's fault,
that's yours.
So I guess there's a littlepressure, um, just to make sure
there's nothing else going onwhen you're playing your music.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
So and then so we know you start doing stuff and
you start participating.
A great learning curve is whenyou jump in for freshmen and JV
football or some soccer, Becauseyou can just do it.
If you mess up it's not abiggie and that's a real place
to learn.
You guys go from participatingto what I call contributing.
It's a pretty big difference.
(32:54):
Let's go to some of yourgreater contributions this year.
These things never would havehappened if you wouldn't have
been up there, and it just madeeverything better.
Fatima, let's go to you first.
We have a great story.
Hopefully you remember this one.
It's homecoming night at WestOttawa.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
Stadium.
Oh, yes, I remember yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
And Quinn, you want to set this up, do you remember?
Speaker 6 (33:15):
I do.
Well, we were discussing aboutwhat our plan would be for the
halftime ceremony.
We were like, oh, we'll just dosome music and it'll be nice
and easy.
And you, Mr Villinga, wanted adrum roll.
Yeah, so we're going to get tothe 2024 Homecoming King and
Queen R drum roll.
(33:35):
So I was looking on Spotify andwe just thought, well, what if
we have the actual band do adrum roll?
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yeah, I think you came in.
We're talking about that.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
Yeah, you guys are talking.
And I came in and I'm likehearing, oh, we can have the
band play.
And I was like, oh guys, holdon, I can definitely go down
there and figure things out.
And we had no source ofcommunication with one another
whatsoever.
Like complete trust was givento me to carry out this.
Like little mission, should Isay, of letting the drumline
(34:03):
majors know hey, can you do adrum roll when we have our
person do the announcement andthey're.
I talked to mr hammond and hewas like, yeah, sure, we can
definitely do that.
I'm like, okay, perfect.
And it took me a while becauseI was also doing like other side
tasks.
Like I was not only talking tothe band but I was trying to
take pictures of everyhomecoming group they.
(34:24):
That was already a huge task onits own, but and we're sitting
up there too.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
So we have the spotify drum roll ready to go
just in case and like, well,we're gonna.
We feel like she's gonna comethrough right absolutely right.
Speaker 6 (34:37):
no Right, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
So we get to that point, and then homecoming 25 is
, and then that live drum rollfrom across the way.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
They were loud.
We could hear them from thebooth.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
And just experiencing it from where we were.
I just got chills.
Speaker 7 (34:53):
And.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I was like, yeah, this is where it's, at Like on
the fly, in the moment you doingit, us trusting you and it
coming through.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
It was so cool to have like student involvement,
like that was entirely based offof students and saying, yes,
we'll do it.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
True enough right.
And you came through with allthe photos too, because they all
are inside my messy files now.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Well, this was a cool thing too.
That was done on the fly thatnight.
So you have what?
Every 10 yards, you have acouple on that field, but you
did something to make it richer.
What did you do?
Speaker 4 (35:27):
So I felt like people are nominated to represent
their class and they deserve alittle bit more than just being
out on that field, likesometimes you can't see them
when you're so far up in the inthose bleachers.
So I was like, well, I willtake a picture of every grade as
a group and have us click on itas we're announcing these
(35:51):
sophomores, freshmen, juniorsand seniors.
Because I just felt like noteverybody's gonna get get that
shout out of like oh, I'mhomecoming king and queen.
So I felt like, in order toequalize that out, it was
putting their face on thejumbotron, that way their loved
ones can see them and they'rerecognized by that huge, because
that is a huge accomplishment.
They're being recognized bytheir student body Like this is
(36:11):
who we want to be represented byat that football game.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
And then coordinating with the two of you to add
graphics to it.
You guys want to speak to that.
Speaker 6 (36:20):
Well, Fatima, she made the graphics on Box Out.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
I did.
Oh, you did that too.
Yeah, I was hustling.
Speaker 6 (36:26):
Goodness, she made all the graphics, but we had to
click through them and we madethem all in order, which was a
surprise.
Honestly, we didn't loseanybody in there, and this is
happening fast.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
It's fast, I mean there's and just for the regular
person listening, there's alist of stuff that has to
already be happening and it'slike we're really throwing this
in.
Yes, we are and you guys allcome through and it's executed
perfectly.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
It was really fantastic but like seeing
everything get, like seeingeverything come together.
It it's such a satisfyingfeeling.
It's like my work is being puton that jumbotron.
People are getting therecognition that they deserve.
It's an empowering feeling.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Let's go to some contributions from Cody and
Quinn.
You guys were both kind of DJmusic guys.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
And what was fun for us.
Bill, maybe you want to speakto this.
Speaker 5 (37:19):
The coolest part, I think.
So I'm going to come at musicfrom a certain lens, right Old
man, lens Well, it's going to begrunge music and classic rock.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
I stay away from the band type I'm so happy Really,
they're warming up.
I stay away from my jam.
Speaker 5 (37:38):
I'm so happy, I mean really they're warming up.
I stay away from my jam bandsbecause I know that you know
that's just not people's jam.
But what was really cool thisyear as we're as music is
happening is I would see youngkids dancing to a song and then
the next song would come on andI would be standing next to our
superintendent and he'd be like,oh man, what a great song this
is.
And then KJ's there on thesideline and she's like, oh, I
(38:02):
love this song.
So it wasn't focused at any onedemographic within our stadium.
It was literally there wassomething for everybody over the
course of an evening.
It changed the whole feel of aFriday night game.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
Cody, how do you put that together, because you've
been going to a lot of stadiumsfor a long time?
There's a certain set of songsthat are played.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
And you went away from that and it made it so much
better.
Talk about that.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I mean, I just felt like, you know, you just hear
the same songs to every game yougo, like, whether it's high
school football, like even likea Lions game, like it's the same
, it's the same stuff.
So I just kind of went throughmy music you know, I'm an 18
year old, I'm a, I'm a teenager,like stuff that we all like.
(38:52):
I just went through my musicand I, you know, mixed it up
with some of the stuff sometimesyou hear at games and then just
jammed it all together and hitthe playlist.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
Even now if we're in a pinch.
So if we're at a basketballgame and none of you are there,
bill and I are like where'sCody's playlist?
Where's Cody's playlist?
Speaker 5 (39:14):
I use it at basketball.
The couple of nights I had todo music this year, I used
Cody's basketball playlist.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
I just remember coming over to you a lot and
going what are you playing rightnow?
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Do you remember that?
Yeah, yeah, I do.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
I don't know.
After a while I was like I'mgoing to see if I can get him up
.
I'm going to play somethingelse.
Speaker 5 (39:28):
That would be you I think the most excited I was is
when I heard my gosh.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
We've got black sabbath playing in the stadium
and then we got quinn's approachand you guys are a little bit
different from each other.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
Go ahead, quinn uh, my approach was scrolling
through my own spotify and applemusic and trying to find and my
friends really, because I Idon't really listen to the new
stuff, I'm a little more oldieand then I scrolled through my
dad's spotify too and that'swhere a lot of it came from
because, I mean, my dad has anamazing music taste, I have to
(40:01):
say he does, we're very, we'revery similar um, and just the
music I've picked up, just patyourself on the back the music
I've picked up from the lastcouple years, listening in the
car with him and, like greta vanfleet, black sabbath, uh, I
want pearl, all of it.
I mean, when I put it alltogether I was like this is
awesome, I love this stuff.
(40:21):
And then you just play what thevibe is in the stadium and it
all works together.
You just got to have a goodfeel for what the time is right.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
That's a really important part because you know,
doing this work, it's alwayslike well, should we like plan
the whole thing out?
I've always come back to no,because every night's different
and every person.
If you're good, you can feelthe vibe of the night and really
make a contribution is and whatyou guys did this year.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
Yeah, and I will add um with also gathering some of
my other music.
Uh, I got it from like playingnba 2k 15 when I was in like
third grade and like theinfluence of 2k yeah, I just I
played that day and night and Iknew all the songs that were in
their game and the ones I liked.
So I mean a lot of 2k and, uh,other games soundtracks
(41:10):
contributed to to the playlist alot of fun with all those
things.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Let's go to some of what an educator might call your
learning moments.
I have them down as your epicfails which is fine, because I
have them too.
I have them too.
Now, what's funny thing is, Icouldn't remember any from you.
Was there anything that you didup there where you're like oops
, I don't?
Speaker 4 (41:31):
know I feel like Quinn has seen me like trip up a
couple of times here and thereon the Jumbotron.
Oh, black screens.
Speaker 7 (41:41):
I, there was a lot.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
Not a lot of black screens, but it was just.
Sometimes I would blink out andI'm like when am I supposed to
click again?
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Well, that's a program program error, cause
they're supposed to likesomething's supposed to run
through and pop back, but we'dhad some little issues.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
Okay, so yeah, little issues okay.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
So yeah, that's actually, but it was like fault.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
You gotta yeah, you gotta be on that, be on that,
but is but no, yeah, you aresupposed to be on it, but that's
probably like my biggest thing.
It's like don't trust thesystem completely.
Have a backup, you know.
Always remember to click thatbutton at least once again once
the timer's up, so that way youdon't have a black screen on
that jumbotron and you havesomething that the audience can
always look at yeah, yeah, don'tget caught looking at the game
(42:18):
too much or pulling out yourphone or whatever the case may
be, because mistake is comingquick.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
Cody and Bill, you have a shared history on one
thing, cody.
Do you remember getting theanthem prepped and something
happening that didn't go yourway?
If you have wiped this fromyour memory, that's really good
on your brain to take this out.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
Think I did so.
Speaker 3 (42:40):
I think you gotta, you gotta tell me again all
right, so it well, this happenedto bill kennedy.
Speaker 5 (42:44):
Yeah, mr, yeah, so when you're using, using spotify
for music and you think you gotthe anthem lined, all ready to
go and you hit play and youstill have the other song low in
the bottom bar that's actuallygoing to play.
So I'm trying to think back towhat song it was.
Oh.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
I know which one it was.
Speaker 5 (43:05):
It's Welcome to the Jungle.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 5 (43:07):
So, ladies and gentlemen, now please stand for
your national anthem, and it was.
Welcome and I quick was like ohpause, get the anthem loaded.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
Now, Cody, I thought that happened to you, but you
don't remember it.
You've wiped it from yourmemory.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
I don't know, Give me some context.
Maybe Do you remember that'sthe context.
Speaker 4 (43:28):
You played a video instead of the national anthem.
I don't remember the hype video?
No, it wasn't the hype video.
Speaker 5 (43:32):
It was just the song because of the way that.
Spotify loads them up.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
And I have to be honest here, you're not the only
two to do it, because I've beenin lacrosse booth by myself and
it also happened.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
So it does happen to everybody.
That wasn't when you wererunning it through your cell
phone.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
No, that was at a new stadium.
Those are two really good.
You know two or three reallygood stories, but it doesn't
match up.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
It was probably so traumatizing that they just
wiped it off.
Speaker 3 (43:59):
Probably.
That's probably what happened.
It doesn't come close to thelight incident.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
What happened?
Speaker 6 (44:05):
at the light incident .
Speaker 2 (44:06):
That was rough.
Speaker 6 (44:09):
Well, at the start of the season I saw Auburn, the
university, do something likegoing into their going into like
their third quarter, where theyturn off all the lights and
make them go blood red andthey're playing a song and I
think it's sweet, okay.
So I was like, oh, that couldbe awesome.
And so I make a mashup of likean air raid, siren, and then it
(44:32):
transitions into power by kanyewest and it.
It worked really well, and thenyou and then I would do all the
flashing lights and this wouldgo right into the third quarter
and it got everyone super pumpedfor the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
Yeah, and you ran it by me.
It's like hey do you think wecan do this?
We can probably pull this off.
Speaker 4 (44:47):
You're all about it.
Did you guys practice this atall?
Speaker 6 (44:50):
Yeah, I had run it every home game.
And this was going into weeknine against Hudsonville, and
earlier in the game when wescored a touchdown I flashed the
lights and there was a littlebit of delay, not enough to
where I really got concerned,but I was like that was weird,
something's off, oh boy.
And then I'm going through itand I click the lights.
(45:13):
Well, I click the music, soit's going and I click the
lights following.
So then they start flashing andyou're supposed to the way I do
it as you go to the differentsettings to give it some variety
, and it didn't switch, it wasstuck on one of them, like the
pole chaser or something forprobably two minutes.
(45:34):
Yeah, would not switch and Iinstantly grabbed the radio and
I'm like the lights are broken.
Speaker 4 (45:38):
The lights are broken .
They're not switching off andMr Kennedy goes.
Speaker 6 (45:43):
Well, you've got to hit high.
I'm like the screen's notworking and I just sat down on
the mouse.
I'm like I'm not going to touchanything and I just leaned back
in my chair.
I'm like this is past my paygrade.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Which is nothing, which is nothing.
You're on volunteeropportunities, yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (46:03):
I was down on the sideline and I'm like, oh, this
is sweet Place is going crazy.
Student sections are both intothings.
I'm like, all right, man, theselights seem to be running a
little longer than normal.
Then I hear Quinn call, so thenI called Jordan.
Jordan Foster is our facilitiesguy.
He's always on duty on Fridaynights because he's a jack of
(46:24):
all trades.
He just happened to be up onthe roof of the concession stand
because one of Hudsonville'skicking balls went up onto the
roof.
Speaker 4 (46:33):
So he's just casually on the roof.
Speaker 5 (46:35):
Well, he went up to get this ball down for
Hudsonville, so I call him Twominutes might have been five.
If that wasn't the case, he'slike I'm just on the ladder
coming down, I'll go and resetit.
And so now we know.
We know where the lights alwayshave been the actual manual
controls.
So he just went in, turned themoff, turned them back on and we
were good to go.
Speaker 6 (46:55):
Although while he was on the roof he got a pretty
sweet video of it going on.
Speaker 5 (46:58):
Yes, he did, I saw it on his Instagram yes, he got a
great video and then come tofind out there was a server
crash for Musco, who was ourlighting company.
So there were server crashesand Musco lighting systems
across the country were affected.
It just happened to time up andthen.
(47:23):
Since then we have also found Idid not know that we had a wire
.
Speaker 6 (47:25):
That was basically defective, so we've had that
replaced and we should be goodto go for the well, it's not my
spring season.
Speaker 3 (47:28):
Main story was not quinn's fault what I liked about
that a lot, so people are goingto call it a mistake.
I love the fact that you'repushing boundaries, number one,
which always comes with a QuinnVanderkamp mischievous smirk.
You guys all know about this,right.
Speaker 4 (47:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Your dad says we have him on a pretty good path, but
I always have to remind him tokeep it in.
The rumble strips is the line.
So, quinn, you're alwayspushing stuff, but I always
appreciate it actually, and whatI really liked about that
moment is nobody lost it,everyone just remained relaxed.
Everybody, the whole booth,bill, jordan getting it done,
(48:06):
and for the people in the crowdthat night, if you're listening
to this podcast and you're atthat game, you remember it and
guess what?
that was fun yeah so sometimesthese mistakes don't really mean
anything.
Speaker 5 (48:17):
Yeah, I was down on the sideline.
I always go and visit thevisiting ADs.
I'm pretty tight with BenFarkas over at Hudsonville and I
remember standing with him.
It was like first quarter andhe's like dude, this is quite
the production you have going on.
And I am like, yeah, and it'sall run by students right now
and was just like you have gotto be kidding me.
(48:40):
You have students running yourvideo board.
You have students running themusic.
Yep, we sure do.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
Yeah, I remember the one guy from Granham goes how do
you prevent them from playingbad music?
I go, you just got to worktogether like you got to trust
him.
Speaker 4 (48:54):
I think being a student and given that trust,
it's like a huge accomplishment,because then you're being
prepared for a career that youare interested in and you just
kind of take the reins of it andthat's the most best feeling
ever.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 5 (49:10):
So one of the really cool parts that have kind of
been pushed by this group issomething that I've been
championing for for a couple ofyears now.
One of the real bummers abouthaving these beautiful boards
out in the stadium is that oncethe winter season hits, you come
back inside and, in all honesty, it gets kind of boring because
(49:31):
it's just scoreboards and somemusic and that's really it, but
because we've been able to kindof connect our students into the
process.
At last month's board meeting,board project was approved for
the main gym.
So we're going to have videoboards in the gym which now
allows us to do boys and girlsvolleyball, boys and girls
(49:52):
basketball, wrestling,competitive cheer, competitive
dance.
Our assemblies will becompletely different.
We won't have to, like lastweek at the unified assembly,
wait for the baskets to belowered because it's in the way
of the projection screen.
It's going to change kind ofwhat we can do and really add
more opportunities for you all.
(50:12):
I know that you're all bummedout that it's happening after
you leave, but maybe talk to usabout, um, how that makes you
feel that you guys all bummedout that it's happening after
you leave, but maybe talk to usabout, um, how that makes you
feel that you guys were reallythe ones that kind of maybe
pushed us in this direction tohave this project happen it's
exciting for the people below us.
Speaker 6 (50:30):
Um, in football and baseball, we always say that
we're building a program not forus, but for the people below us
, so I was happy to be a part ofbuilding another program that
is hopefully going to take off.
And, yeah, I wish I was ajunior or a sophomore.
Speaker 2 (50:46):
Yeah yeah, I just obviously I wish I was a junior
too, um, but it's, it's superexciting and I hope that, like
you know, I I can come back.
You know five, six years andit's super exciting and I hope
that I can come back five, sixyears and it's just completely
student-run, super smooth.
I hope to come back and justsee how amazing production is
(51:11):
and how far we've come.
Speaker 4 (51:15):
I think it's really exciting to just imagine the
opportunities are going to begiven to younger generations
it's a completely differentfield that they're entering into
and to be given that learningopportunity, to learn what it's
like being at the booth,learning how to control
jumbotrons and even like thosescreens at a basketball game.
It's empowering for students toknow that, hey, like I'm able
(51:38):
to do this, imagine what more Ican do later on in my future.
And it's like a completelydifferent know that hey, like
I'm able to do this, imaginewhat more I can do later on in
my future.
And it's like a completelydifferent perspective that
they're given for everyonelistening.
Speaker 7 (51:45):
I think it's really important to remember, too, that
most schools don't have this.
I mean, let's go back to basics.
Most schools don't have abroadcasting class.
Most schools do not have astudio in a control room and a
podcast studio.
Most schools don't do any ofthis, and it's just another way
that makes West Ottawa soincredibly special.
Speaker 3 (52:08):
We got the spring season coming up, you'll be
doing you know you're playingsports and doing some live
broadcasting, so some otherpeople will move into some
different roles.
I know, cody, you don't have aspring sport, so we got some
really great opportunities thatwe're going to probably work on
with you.
Speaker 5 (52:21):
We're going to get you behind the mic.
You're going to announce somegames this spring.
Speaker 2 (52:25):
I'd love to do that yeah, oh yeah, it's happening.
Speaker 3 (52:27):
Let's talk about where you guys are moving
forward to.
You know, you're always welcometo come back we've had Connor
Woolley.
Speaker 5 (52:33):
Connor Woolley man.
He'll be back in the spring todo some stuff for sure, but as
you guys, move forward.
Speaker 3 (52:38):
Let's talk about you, cody.
You're going to move intosports journalism.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
This is something you want to try and do, yeah so
right now the plan is if I getinto michigan, right, that's
where I'm going.
I got deferred, but if I get in,I'm going to go there and
probably do sports managementthere, because unfortunately
they don't have okay, journalismor sports journalism, but
otherwise I'm going to Tennesseeand going to do sports
(53:02):
journalism there and I hope togo to school there, have some
fun and really meet some people,get an internship, hopefully
with maybe it's a team, maybeit's a sports broadcasting
company like CBS Sports, espn.
Yeah, that's the path I want togo down and I think that's my
(53:24):
path to happiness later in life.
Speaker 3 (53:27):
That's really awesome , Quinn.
You're heading off to Hope.
Speaker 6 (53:29):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (53:30):
You already have some opportunities there because of
some of the things you've beendoing here.
Speaker 6 (53:34):
Well, I went on an Anchor Day visit and I was lucky
enough to be able to secure ameeting with Freddy Vasquez.
He is the live streamcoordinator at Hope College and
he talked to me about how alltheir live streams are student
run and I was like, wow, this isawesome, I want to be a part of
this.
And me and my mom were like,wow, this is going to be a huge
(53:55):
pull for Hope College, as if Iwasn't going to go there anyway
and yeah, so then that was ahuge thing.
And then at the end hementioned and you get paid
$11.50 an hour.
And that blew my mind because Iwouldn't get paid to do this.
I would do this for free.
Speaker 5 (54:13):
Find a way to get paid to do what you love.
Speaker 4 (54:18):
As of right now, I'm planning on going to michigan
state.
I haven't gotten actually anyanswer from the university of
michigan so I'm still waiting.
So, like late april, I'llfigure that path.
But I definitely know thatwhatever comes to paths with
universities, I'll end up goingto state.
They have so many opportunitiesin terms of like communications
and broadcasting and I knowthat with just like pulling some
(54:41):
strings and getting someconnections, I could definitely
work at stadiums and athleticcenters.
So, like gymnastics, football,stadium basketball, I feel like,
whatever happens, like I'mdefinitely going to go into the
broadcasting world.
I'm very determined to make themost out of Michigan State and
definitely work at it.
I really want to work in thesports realm.
(55:02):
I just don't know what.
I know that I'm completelydedicated to communications.
Speaker 3 (55:06):
Yeah, I just watched some Robin Roberts videos.
Do you know who she is?
Speaker 4 (55:10):
You always mention her and I fail to look her up
All right, so you will afterthis.
Speaker 3 (55:14):
So check out Robin Roberts.
It's a great story.
She just you remind me of ayoung her like I knew, a young
her which I did not, but youknow your involvement here has
been nothing short of inspiring.
You know, going to school,though we talked about this a
couple weeks ago by the scorer'stable.
Speaker 4 (55:30):
I got the promise scholarship yeah.
I got the, which is essentiallya full ride to whatever college
or university in the state ofMichigan, which which is a huge,
huge, huge help, and honestly Ijust view it as another
opportunity for me to like,advance and secure my spot of
achieving my dreams, essentially, and it's like it's mind
(55:52):
blowing to know that I have thatcapacity and there's a
community behind me that viewsthat capacity in me.
Speaker 3 (55:58):
When we were talking that night too, you also said
for a long time, though, youdidn't dare dream of it no,
speak to that if you can.
Speaker 4 (56:04):
I really didn't think college was an opportunity for
me.
I really thought I would justget out of high school, start
working and then live that typeof life Not saying it's not bad,
but it really did prevent mefrom thinking of a career path
that I would actually enjoy.
Life was mostly about working,get your money, pay the bills
and call it a day.
So getting that PromiseScholarship it's given me the
(56:26):
opportunity to look beyond thatand really dream more about what
it is that I'm passionate about, and I finally allowed myself
to really immerse myself intobroadcasting, because it wasn't
just something that I can getout of high school, it's
something that I can get incollege.
And the word college was justso foreign and it was almost
(56:46):
like taboo, honestly.
But now that I have thatpromise, it's like I know what I
want and I'm not afraid todream even more beyond
broadcasting and sports,journalism and everything around
that realm.
Speaker 7 (56:59):
West Ottawa grads.
Wherever you go, there aregoing to be lots of
opportunities.
The only thing standing in yourway is you going after them and
you doing what Quinn did in theconversation at his Hope visit
Like I want to do this.
You just have to say it, youjust have to communicate it.
(57:19):
You just have to communicate it.
So it's a really great reminder.
Do that at West Ottawa HighSchool, but don't turn it off.
Do it right when you go to yournext place.
Speaker 3 (57:31):
Hopefully a lot of young kids are listening to this
.
You guys have really brought alot of.
If you dream it, you can do itto today, Taking a chance and
doing something like this andmaking it happen.
Thanks to all four of you forcoming in.
You're all very inspiring.
We love the work that you doand let's just remember we are.
Speaker 6 (57:48):
West Ottawa we are community and we are each other.
Speaker 5 (57:51):
Thanks guys, thanks so much guys.
Katten plows right through that offensive player
and forces the moving screencall as she passes it in to
Honeycutt.
As she brings it up the floor,honeycutt passes the corner.
Brooke gets her own reboundafter that shot and puts it up
and makes the two what?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
a rebound and score there.
Ward for three.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
No good Seems as though she cannot make a three
on that side yet.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Stolen by Branch.
Here she's trying to look upcourt but Catton's defending her
pretty heavily.
That will stay with EK.
That's a foul on Taylor Catton.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Great effort from Catton there getting on the
floor to go get that ball.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
That was the sound of history the first ever live
stream basketball broadcast atWest Ottawa High School with
play-by-play color commentary,multiple camera angles and
high-end graphics delivered toyou by our very own West Ottawa
Broadcast Network.
Hey everybody, welcome back tothe 29.1 Podcast.
I'm your host, rodney Velinga,and I'm joined once again by
(01:07):
Panthers Athletic Director, billKennedy.
A little less than three yearsago, most West Ottawa sports
were delivered to you, the fan,like they always were you watch
the game, listen to some PAannouncing, maybe grab a hot dog
and there's a little musicthrown in.
But with the addition of WestOttawa stadium in the fall of
2022, the just announcedaddition of three video
(01:32):
scoreboards inside the main gymfor the fall of 2025 and the
implementation of a mobile livestreaming studio already being
used this year, the game dayexperience for fans and players
alike has changed and ischanging tremendously.
Being a fan at football, socceror a lacrosse game is very
different, with all theamenities and the in-game
experience with music,scoreboard videos and lights
(01:53):
makes the downtime between playsthat much more fun.
And now indoor sports fromvolleyball to basketball to
competitive cheer will take on anew look for years to come.
However, it's going to take alot of people, a lot of content
and a lot of tech in order topull this off.
And it's our pleasure towelcome from Wobien, otherwise
known as the West OttawaBroadcasting Network, today's
(02:16):
four guests.
And who might it be?
Quinn Vanderkamp, cody Skerman.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Fatima Correa-Morales , lindsay Walcott.
Speaker 5 (02:24):
We are so pumped to have you all here.
One of the great pleasures thisyear has been getting to be
around you all and kind of seethings through from the very
first night, kind of walkinginto a football press box and
being like holy cow there's alot going on to now.
You guys are like Codybroadcasting a basketball game,
doing play-by-play and colorcommentary, so really pumped to
(02:45):
have.
You.
Guys are like Cody broadcastinga basketball game, doing
play-by-play and colorcommentary, so really pumped to
have you all here.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Yeah, it's been a year where, for the first time
ever, you guys have really beeninvolved and it's really been
fun for us to do it.
Let's go back to that livestream Cody, who was on the mic
that night.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
It was me and Connor Knapp.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
You and Connor Knapp doing the first live stream ever
Play.
It was me and Connor Knapp.
You and Connor Knapp doing thefirst live stream ever
play-by-play.
What was it like?
I know you've always wanted todo things like that.
What was it like to actually bedoing it?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
I mean at first, you know it was a little
nerve-wracking because neverreally been in front of the mic
like that live ever.
So the first few minutes was alittle rough.
We were getting used to it.
But once we really got into thegame, and especially in the
second half, we were justrolling and just kind of saying
whatever came to mind and itworked out pretty well.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yeah, I had it on in my office yesterday as I was
doing some work and I'm like, oh, they're really kind of getting
their groove.
You guys kind of got into thatthird quarter.
It kind of picked up a littlebit.
But I thought you guys didgreat from the beginning and, to
be honest, one of the hardestthings to do in broadcasting is
play by play.
Whether you're recording, youknow something, a will be in a
show or whatever you know.
You can go back and edit it,all that stuff.
(03:53):
But live is a whole differentball game and for the first one
ever you guys were great.
Quinn and Fatima guys werethere too.
What were your jobs that night?
Speaker 6 (04:01):
quinn, you might want to start us off my job was to
run the score bug and make sureeverything was running smoothly.
If anything went wrong, I kindof felt like I had to take
control of that and did you acouple.
You had a few things happenright yeah, I mean well, this
recently before in live streamswe had buffering like we would
just go out, and that mean, ifthat would happen, I would have
(04:24):
to try that.
It still went out many times,but we couldn't really do
anything about it that's okay,though you're pushing the
envelope.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
How about for you, fatima?
Speaker 4 (04:31):
I was in charge of switching cams and making sure
that the camera was on the ballthe entire game.
So I was mainly just switchingbetween the cameras cam one, cam
two, cam three, switching uppositionings like that.
We want to zoom into adifferent viewpoint of the
players.
I would be in charge of that aswell.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, it's a really sweet setup over in the corner
there.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
Bill, it's a long way away from.
Hey, I would get text messageson game nights.
Hey, there's a live streamrunning tonight and I would have
to go into our huddle cameraand make sure that it was pushed
out.
Now we're engaging students,and what an experience for you
all really to take forward inlife.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
So Lindsay Walcott, I can call you Wally, right, I
can do that.
Absolutely Everybody else does,so I figure I can pop in.
What was it like for you?
You know, this is your life'spassion, this work, and there's
a mobile streaming studio.
You have three livebroadcasting students and who's
the mobile streaming studio?
You have three livebroadcasting students and who's
the gentleman's name?
Who does IT?
Speaker 7 (05:29):
Logan Thompson.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Logan Thompson.
So Logan Thompson's up theretoo.
What's it like for you?
Just to you know wherever youstarted off in this broadcasting
and now you're seeing that,what's it like for you.
Speaker 7 (05:38):
Well, when I started at Woe 20 years ago, I think I
had 13 or 14 students inbroadcasting total.
20 years ago, I think I had 13or 14 students in broadcasting
total and today I teachbroadcasting all day and it's
just such a joy to have theaddition of this live
broadcasting class.
So grateful, the district stoodbehind us and supported us not
(05:59):
only with the addition of theclass, but also a very
significant investment both inmy studio and control room, as
well as the mobile studio youreferenced earlier, and it is a
joy to walk alongside thesestudents.
I mean, we are chatting withthe trailblazers right here and
they are awesome.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
Yeah, wally and I have obviously known each other
for a number of years and wewould have conversations about
man.
It would be really cool toengage students, but a lot of
times we were limited by, firstand foremost, hours that we both
work, because we both pour aton of hours into our jobs
already and it's taking onsomething else.
But then the technology piece.
(06:39):
You know, we could have neverpulled this off at old panther
stadium.
I mean, we were running musicwith a cd over there.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
That's three years ago, guys, we were running music
with a cd well, you gotta tellthem how I used to do it,
because I didn't have the cdplayer running for me.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
So I first met rodney .
He was doing girls lacrossegames for us because his
daughter, claire, played girlslacrosse and he would come up
and he would run the scoreboardand he would do music and
announce.
He did it all right in one spotand I walk up there one night
to see how he's playing music.
He had his mic layingunderneath a coat, with his cell
(07:16):
phone next to the mic, and thecoat would go over top so that
we could have a conversation andnot come over the pa
announcement.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Oh, it was great, yeah, and there was times I even
like I brought up the tech.
I'd bring in a beach towel wecould have a conversation and
not come over the PA.
Oh, it was great, yeah, andthere was times I even like I
brought up the tech, I wouldbring in a beach towel which was
heavier, that could dampen thesound more.
So we did that.
It was always pretty fun, it'spretty crazy.
Yeah, okay, I'll start.
(07:45):
Yeah, yeah, be yourselves.
Be yourselves for that.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
So we actually start prep fifth hour, which is me and
Quinn's live broadcasting hour,we pull up all the stuff.
If it needs to get pulled upfrom the classroom to the
elevator, get it upstairs on theindoor track and then we take
another two hours just pluggingin things in, undoing wiring and
things like that.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
A lot of prep time.
Undoing wiring takes about anhour by itself because it always
gets tangled, because we shoveit all into a box you shouldn't
shove it all into a box.
Speaker 7 (08:15):
Quinn, I did send you a video on how to properly coil
and uncoil our cable.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
You told me about that, quinn we do our best to do
it, it's like an under overovermethod and it's very difficult
because these wires areextremely expensive, expensive,
and when they're expensivethey're stiff and they don't
roll up easily.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
And they're sensitive yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
When I was going up to visit you guys.
That one time I think I almosttripped over that wire because I
didn't know it was going to bethere.
One time I think I almosttripped over that wire because I
didn't know it was going to bethere.
I'm like, oh alright, there's alot going on up here now, so it
was pretty cool.
Let's get to know the three ofyou a little bit, though,
because you guys are allathletes as well.
Fatima, you're lacrosse.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You went out as a sophomore or did you do it from
freshman year?
Speaker 4 (08:56):
I did not do it freshman year.
I started sophomore year.
I didn't do cuts.
I joined for fun and it was aneasy sport to get into, for West
Ottawa at least.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
And you had kind of a long vision with joining
lacrosse as well, right, kind ofa resume type thing.
Yeah, yes, yes, I did Talk tous about that.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
So I was talking to Kayla and she was like, yeah, we
need extra girls, just come, wedon't really make cuts or
anything, we actually need girls.
And I'm like, well, I do needsomething on my resume, so I
guess I'll join.
There wasn't much thoughtprocess going through my head
when I joined, like I didn'teven know how to play the sport.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
You're a nice player too, if I can say, like I watch
you play.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
I wouldn't have guessed that.
Yeah and um started off on JV,obviously, but I was actually JV
captain because I knew thereins of it pretty well and I
came to every single practice.
So I was awarded that littletitle for my first year playing,
which was really awesome andCody, your tennis player, played
doubles all these years.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
You've been playing since little dude right.
How old were you when you gotstarted?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
um, obviously I started playing for school in
sixth grade, but I think I meanhonestly, I don't remember a
time like I wasn't at.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Probably DeWitt Tennis Center taking lessons and
all that.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Yeah, but I was doing like like the summer camps at
West Ottawa since, like I canremember, like my whole life.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I guess Right.
So your tennis season is done,you have lacrosse coming up, and
then, quinn, you've gotbaseball coming up this spring.
How pumped are you for thisbaseball season?
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Words can't describe it.
I'm more than pumped.
I'm ecstatic.
It's not doing it justice.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
It's not doing it justice.
You guys had a big win againstwell, not a win, but you lost
but against a powerhouse.
At the end, yes, and you pushedthem Some great pitching game.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
You got a lot of people coming back.
A lot of people, I meaneveryone who played in that game
is coming back.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
We've got some big games on the schedule.
I was actually talking with mycohort over at Forest Hill
Central today to make sure wehad the umpires lined up for our
doubleheader at LMCU, which isgoing to be really cool to get
into that kind of stadium toplay a game.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
So what's it like for you guys to be athletes and now
you're going to be graduatingsenior athletes?
But what's it like from anathlete's perspective to know
that this type of you knowwhether we're going to cover
games and all that type of stuffis coming up.
What does it make you feel forfuture athletes, quinn?
Speaker 6 (11:21):
Well, I'm really excited because I feel, with the
coverage, I mean you can dowhatever you want.
I mean that you can.
It doesn't end Like we couldpush this out to social media.
You could be awesome is what Isee.
Everyone could watch you.
It's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
I think it's a very cool way to like look back at
the way you played.
It's a lot more visually.
You can see the mistakes thatyou made and then like, desect
from that.
Coaches have a lot more easierway of seeing how the opponents
team also played too.
You're not just looking at anopen field or an open court,
you're looking at the actualside of the court of the
opponents and you're looking atthe goalie and everything in
terms of that you can see.
(12:00):
You know, oh, I made a pass, Ican do something different, I
can do another playback, orthings like that.
I find it more like tactical interms of planning for next
future games.
It's a lot more useful.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
I love the way people's minds work.
That's awesome.
How about you, Cody?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's super fun that we're going
to get like I mean assumingthere's going to be a lot more
people like watching ourathletes play.
Now, as a tennis player, youdon't get a lot of people coming
to your matches.
It's high school tennis andit's your parents.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
It's live stream that second doubles match.
Let's go First doubles, seconddoubles.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
I love it when people come and watch my match.
I just think it's going to be alot of fun for kids to have a
bunch of people watching them,because to me it is always the
more people the better.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
For years we've hosted the Daktronics Summits in
the summertime Usually thoseare in June and we'd see these
groups.
There's a school in Wisconsinand they're live streaming and
with color commentating, likeseven different sports and I'm
like man, that would be reallyfricking cool to get to a point
(13:08):
where we can do that stuff.
And now you know, in large partbecause we had people that were
pushing us right, Wally, we had,we had some students who were
eager, and I'm so thankful thatwe had those students, because
now we look at where we're atand where we can go from here.
It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Well, is it ever a little overwhelming?
Quinn mentioned this.
There's so much we can do andit's almost like you can just
keep pushing, but it takesresources to pull that off.
What's it like trying to be incharge of this?
Speaker 7 (13:40):
So I like to say that it's both.
It's both very rewarding andinvigorating, but it is also
extremely challenging.
Just when you figure somethingelse out, a new hurdle or issue
presents itself.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
All true.
Speaker 7 (13:59):
And this is life.
Right, it's a really accuraterepresentation of life in that
regard.
But we just keep pushingthrough and the students have
been really helpful.
Logan Thompson, who we referredto earlier, has been
tremendously helpful, but on anygiven day I'm running several
(14:22):
lines of communication withdifferent people and different
resources and trying to figurethings out, from graphics to new
locations, to oh my goodness,we need some new cabling out at
the stadium.
It's a lot.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Yeah, it's a lot, but seeing our kids attack it and
the joy that they're getting outof it, just okay, I'm going to
handle this.
We're going to add this to theplate and we're going to figure
it out as we go along.
It's not always going to beperfect, but that's how we learn
, willingness andacknowledgement that not
everything is always going to beperfect.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
I think that that's a real key to our success,
because obviously the first timeit's like not great and stuff
doesn't always work, and thatI'm just grateful for that.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
So thank you.
Speaker 7 (15:17):
Bill.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yeah, for sure.
What's really cool about doingthis type of stuff is that
everybody in this room right nowyou just don't like this stuff.
You love this stuff, right?
Truth be truth.
Yeah, yes.
So, Quinn, I'm talking to yourdad the other day and he said
you've always been a tinkerersince you've been little.
Is that fair enough?
Speaker 6 (15:34):
Yeah, that's fair.
Yeah, all right so.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Legos right.
Speaker 6 (15:37):
Legos.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Legos have been a big part, so I don't know where the
devious comes from yet, butdefinitely that tinkering comes
from there and you're like thetech guy around the house.
For you moving into a role likethis and doing this type of
work, do you find it was almostinevitable for you?
Speaker 6 (15:56):
Absolutely.
I mean, well, I'm a part of theband.
I have a band.
We play country music.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Do the promo Go ahead .
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Well, Little House on the ahead.
Well, little house on the lakelittle house on the lake 24 on
instagram.
Um, come check us out, we'reawesome, um.
But yeah, well, I run all thecabling and I've been trying,
we're recording music and we'redoing all this stuff and I mean,
I've been just been pluggingaway at it and it's all been
plugging stuff in.
So it just kind of fitsnaturally that I would be
(16:25):
setting up live streaming stuffand doing this and building
legos and being in year three ofwood shop and all these things,
because it's just what I kindof do right, it's just something
you love to do, and I found himas well.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
You are very prominent, bill.
Maybe you want to speak to thisbecause you know more.
Yeah, I mean you're everywhere.
Speaker 5 (16:45):
You're like miss west ottawa.
You hosted survivor um.
You hosted the first generation, our first voice generation
event.
You attend board meetings yesyou weren't always as outgoing,
though, from what I understand,no, I was not.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
No, I was like I don't know.
I was very to myself at.
So, starting off high schooland then probably like prior to
that as well, so anything beforesophomore year, I was just a
very quiet kid, didn't really domuch.
And then soon enough I justflipped a switch and was like
I'm going to change stuff junioryear and senior year and just
go out there and do whatever Ican, and whatever I can is
(17:24):
honestly everything that WestOttawa provides.
So I started taking on WBNextracurriculars, things like
that, and I just kind of hit theground running.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
And then, when you were much younger this shocked
me when you told me I couldn'tbelieve it, but you had some
stuttering issues as a young kid, right.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
I did.
Yes, I had a very bad speechimpediment.
You couldn't really understanda single word I was saying as I
was speaking, and it was a veryhard thing for me to like
overcome.
And a lot of therapy, a lot ofspeech therapy had to be put
into play throughout myeducation, honestly, which is
probably one of the biggestfactors as to why I was so quiet
(18:03):
and very to myself.
And then, soon enough, Istarted kind of gaining
confidence in high school when Isoon enough learned how to mask
my stuttering and I just kindof had to work through that
mentally and then just starttaking on every opportunity I
can.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Well, you got a nice smile on your face.
Can you comment on that?
Speaker 7 (18:24):
I just love these students so, so much.
They all are such hard workersand it's a joy to work with them
and see their success.
Wouldn't be here without them.
It's a good time to work withthese guys.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Yeah, it's really special, cody, for you talking
to your mom about you a littlebit.
You've always been engaged intennis.
That's kind of been your mainpassion being at school.
But she said watching you beinvolved in this is something
that you're just as animated.
One thing that she told me sheshared with me was you were up
in the booth for football andyou took a picture when you were
(19:03):
up there and I think you sentit to your parents yeah what, Uh
, what did and what was that allabout?
Tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Um, so I'm pretty sure that picture was of me
running the music, Um, and Imean just being up there for
that.
That might've been the firsttime.
Um, it was just like man, likewe're at this like super nice
stadium and we're like runninglike all this stuff here and
(19:30):
like just being in charge ofmusic or the scoreboard or
whatever, like it was just superfun and like being able to
really be a like be a part ofthe fan experience.
That's something I'm passionateabout and yeah, it's kind of a.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
She said you.
I think you put in the line uh,this is a or this needs to be
my life.
Speaker 7 (19:49):
Yeah Something like that to that effect.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Right and it and it has been I always.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
I always, uh, tell people and students to figure
out what your passion in life isand then find a way to get paid
to do it.
And if you do those things,it's not going to feel like work
right, it's going to be.
You don't have to go to work,you get to go to work.
There are days that I'mchallenged in that aspect I see
(20:15):
the most.
I see that side of you but forthe most part I am super
passionate about athletics andthe things that it provides, and
then you start to branch outinto this kind of stuff and it
just it fires me up even more soup until this year this will be
in athletic department.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Collaboration didn't exist, and now it's started.
One thing that's great aboutwest ottawa it's a school of
opportunity.
It's a school aboutcollaboration.
It's a school of we're gonna godo this.
Can you guys just talk, maybejust real briefly, about how
that came about?
Speaker 5 (20:46):
so in the stadium, um , we were in the design process
and we knew that we were gettingsome boards through daktronics.
Daktronics is the biggest namein stadium scoreboards.
Uh, you go to ford field, it'sdaktronics.
So I knew that there was likesome curriculum stuff that came
with the video boards.
At that point and wally and Isat down and we chatted at that
(21:07):
point and it was kind of like sothat graphics package yeah, so
it was more than that it was alittle bit more into it than
that.
But at that time there were somechallenges that wally was
facing just in the wobe endstudio with technology and the
limitations that were there, andit was kind of we kind of
kicked the can down the road alittle bit and said, hey, once,
(21:28):
once we get this studio stufffigured out, then we're going to
be willing to kind of take iton.
Speaker 7 (21:34):
Yeah, I, I think the first step, as I recall and
we've had a lot of conversationsabout this- bill over the years
and you're older, so you're notgoing to remember much, but I
think Bill and I have beendreaming about this for many
years and I've had conversationswith administrators before Bill
(21:55):
was even here like this iswhere we should be headed, this
is where we should be going.
I just couldn't do it by myself, so we're in a different
situation now.
I think the first step that wetook, or the plan we made, was
for my advanced broadcastingstudents to make videos to be
(22:15):
used at those football games,and that was a smashing success.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Huge, I mean it adds so much to the game experience.
Having five questions with thestudent athlete or bottom is uh
29.
One hype video, all thoselittle pieces just make a game.
Night at west ottawa is justdifferent than anywhere else you
(22:40):
go.
I can say that because I'm atall of our games all of the
times and there's no one thateven comes close to what we're
pulling off, which is why I'm soexcited about this gym project.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah, and there's also another piece.
There's also some light comedy,some dry humor that was done at
West Ottawa Stadium.
Let's hit it.
Speaker 7 (23:04):
I don't know about this video.
What is happening right now?
Quinn, what did you do?
Speaker 8 (23:11):
Breaking news West Ottawa's black hole has gone
missing.
They were lasting around WestOttawa Stadium at 6 pm today.
Hold on, we're getting wordthat they have not disappeared.
Let's send this to our expert,cody Skirman, with more on this.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Thanks, Quinn, when you take a look at the black
hole, you may not see anything.
This is because our studentsare equipped with camouflage.
This is an example of acamouflage shirt, just like the
camouflage shirt.
You may not see our students,but you sure can hear them.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
It was pretty funny.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
I just know that if Quinn and Cody's name is
mentioned in the video, likethey're up to no good.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Well, it's so much true what I really liked about
it, and the fact that you don'teven know about it is even
better.
To be honest with you.
Speaker 7 (23:52):
I'm not at every game , you guys are graduating
anyways.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
But the great part about this, I remember you guys.
Hey, we made this video.
Can we play it?
I'm like I guess, Sure,Whatever they asked you instead
of me.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
Well, it was already made.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
It was already made and I think you guys played it
for me Not really looking for myapproval, more or less going is
he going to be offended or not?
And I wasn't.
And then it was great becauseyou guys played it.
The cool part about that isnumber one.
Nobody asked you to do it, no,and it really added an extra I
don't know just an extra layerto the black hole in the student
.
What was it like for you guysto make it?
(24:25):
Cody?
Speaker 2 (24:26):
well, quinn came up with the idea and, um, we just
kind of went into the wobianstudio, got in front of the
green screen and, um, you know,it took a few tries to get the
lines down well, we keptlaughing, yeah, while we were
recording it, so, yeah, but yeah, we got it down and then, uh,
quinn put it together, uh, andthen you know, we threw it on
there.
And then Quinn put it together,and then you know, we threw it
(24:47):
on there.
It was great, it was hilarious.
You guys wrote that together.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Yeah, it was just us.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
If you're doing stuff and it's not a class
requirement, you're definitelyin then.
Yeah, timed that up, perfect,all right.
Well, that was really fun to do.
It was a great part, greatmemory, even a great memory for
me right now.
And, uh, wally, maybe someextra class credit.
You know, bring the grades up alittle bit.
If that's okay, let's go to thefirst time you guys are in the
press box oh my god because it'sa big, big deal yes, go ahead
(25:17):
because you're on it yeah, I wasbrimming with excitement
actually when we had firstentered into that booth stadium.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Uh, wally was like, okay, grab a notepad, bring a a
pencil, start taking notes.
And I took that very seriously.
I don't think Willing evenunderstood.
I was literally peering overhis shoulder.
I'm like Wally, look he'sclicking on these buttons and
the stuff pops up on thejumbotron.
I need to figure this out, andI was just having a blast just
trying to figure out thingsbefore anybody ever told me I
(25:43):
was so into it.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
I remember telling these guys okay, bill has
secured a couple of spare seatsfor us, and just I didn't want
them to be disappointed, right?
So, like prepping them forwe're basically gonna have to
sit in the corner and snuggle upthere's not a lot of room Bring
(26:07):
a writing utensil and paper andI'll let them tell you.
But by the end of the game thesituation in the booth was very
different than what I preppedthem for.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
Well, when we got in there, some people weren't
prepped that we were going inthere.
And then the statisticians theytook a quick exit when they saw
us, so we had a little morespace to stretch out.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
It did open up a little bit.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
It did yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Now the fun part about that is whenever, like, we
have shared, I say this groupright here has a shared mind
about this stuff, and I'm justgoing to say it.
I'm looking over my shoulderand I'm watching you write stuff
down.
I'm watching and it's almostlike it's not just one thing.
I'm watching you write stuffdown.
I'm watching and it's almostlike it's not just one thing,
it's everything.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
He moved the mouse to the right at 45 degree angle.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
I was like all right.
And then we all looked at eachother I think at all at the same
time and it's like why don'tyou come down here and do this?
Speaker 4 (26:59):
I was in shock, like I didn't think you'd actually
let me, and I was like, yeah,home football game number one of
the season.
Yeah, yeah, I was so excitedlike I was just happy to be
there, but I did not knowanything about football.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
Oh, we're going to get to that now.
Yeah, so let's get into it Allright, I have a category in this
podcast where we talk about ourfails, but if Fatima wants to
do her fail now, that's a fail.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
I think that's a learning opportunity.
Yeah, it's the same thing.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
They go together, they go together.
Oh okay, so all right.
So one of the jobs up.
Fatima, you want to give this atry, Cause we're trying to do
different jobs and she's likewhat's a down?
I was like oh man and I'm onthe fly.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
I'm like and the game is going like telling me this
yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
And I'm like, you know what, you know what a down
is.
A down is a turn, and a teamgets four turns to get 10 yards.
And then you were good yeah, itwas good.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
Like I was set after that and then you're like just
focus where the refs like stayand then that's when like
they're gonna go back to likethat position.
If you know, like there's somelike there's a foul or something
, and I'm like, okay, I'll justfocus on the refs.
And I was just I didn't realizehow many refs there were at the
football stadium as the gamewas going, so it was like so
many things I was learning asthe game was going.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
But yeah, it was fun does it make you watch football
differently now that you?
Speaker 4 (28:27):
you know what it really does.
It does, yeah.
It's not like, oh, there's justa couple of guys on the field
tossing ball.
It's like there's so muchproduction that goes behind the
scenes.
I've learned a lot from andit's like now I know I can even
implement some of that knowledgeand what I view on the TV, from
professionals to WBN and whatwe're doing right now.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Cody, you're up there .
You were up there the firstnight too.
I don't think Quinn, was thatfirst time right, or were you?
All three of you were.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
I was there the second night you were the second
time.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
Okay, so let's go to what you're up there the first
night.
What's that like for you, quinn?
Speaker 6 (29:00):
Chaos.
There are people yelling acrossthe booth, rodney is, or Mr
Valinga is running thescoreboard and then he's playing
some music and Mr Van Innsdecides to start talking and
he's got to bring it down andthere's just a lot going on and
people are all talking to eachother and can hear everything
(29:20):
that's being said at once.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
When you first jump in there, it's total chaos.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
I loved the atmosphere, though that was just
a point where I knew where Iwanted to be at that moment.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
And that crew up there has been together for a
very long time John Merriman,carl Von Enns, jim Keekover
those three have been togetherfor 40-plus years, together
doing football games, and so tohave this new group kind of
inject themselves into that, Iwas standing back like a mad
(29:50):
scientist, like, oh, I can'twait, I'm going to go down on
the sideline now.
I can't wait to hear how thisgoes.
Speaker 7 (29:57):
They really did, from my perspective, enjoy having
these young kids up there, theseyoung adults, I should say I
could tell it kind ofinvigorated them.
Speaker 5 (30:07):
Yeah, and they're all educators at their core right.
Carl was a longtime teacher,john Merriman was a teacher, so,
yeah, I think they came to loveit.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Cody, when you're up there the first night, I believe
you were doing graphics thefirst time, right?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
I believe so yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
I think that was our first ever update, so we had
this idea to do an update in theOK Red and I think you did that
that night or a different night?
I'm not sure.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Yeah, it was like around the Red and it was all
the scores for all the gamesgoing on.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Yeah, it's not like you press a button, it's
automated and it's done.
You had to build that.
You know you're building thegraphic but getting the store
scores, putting it in and it'son a I mean it's on a crunch
time type of thing and then tolook all through like kennedy's
files and everything's a messand you're just like, so where
do I?
Speaker 4 (30:53):
put what?
Speaker 5 (30:54):
it's when you guys need to organize my files.
More is what.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
I'm hearing yeah, you should, you really should All
right Part of being up there isactually.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
I felt this way the first time I did it, because
back in the day I didn't doanything here until I started
doing it, and I remember thefirst time it was like, oh, you
can go in the football booth.
And I was like what Beside Karlvon Inns?
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Seriously.
And I remember going up therefeeling like it was hallowed
ground.
Yeah, totally, I was like man,I really don't want to mess
anything up here Because, likeyou said, they've been doing it
for like 40 years together andyou don't want to ruin their
groove.
You want to be that guy.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
And when you're up there you kind of learn some of
these unwritten rules.
Let's see if you guys figuredout some of those, what they
were.
Quinn, you want to jump on that?
Speaker 6 (31:42):
Don't talk over Carl.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
Yeah, don't talk over Carl, and sometimes he'll give
you a glance and that's likeokay, turn on the music, hurry
up and turn on the music anddon't have the music playing as
he's speaking.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
Yeah, we always talked about that too.
We talked about that, thecompeting sounds.
Do you want to maybe speak tothat for a minute, Cody oh, with
the band.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Well, just in general , like being in the booth if
you're running music and there'sa band and there's an announcer
one of the biggest faux pas iscompeting sounds.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, like no one is paying attention to you, like
you have to pay attention toeveryone else.
It's like it's like you're thequarterback.
You need to know what everybodyelse is doing.
So like if you mess up likethat's no one else's fault,
that's yours.
So I guess there's a littlepressure, um, just to make sure
there's nothing else going onwhen you're playing your music.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
So and then so we know you start doing stuff and
you start participating.
A great learning curve is whenyou jump in for freshmen and JV
football or some soccer, Becauseyou can just do it.
If you mess up it's not abiggie and that's a real place
to learn.
You guys go from participatingto what I call contributing.
It's a pretty big difference.
(32:54):
Let's go to some of yourgreater contributions this year.
These things never would havehappened if you wouldn't have
been up there, and it just madeeverything better.
Fatima, let's go to you first.
We have a great story.
Hopefully you remember this one.
It's homecoming night at WestOttawa.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
Stadium.
Oh, yes, I remember yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
And Quinn, you want to set this up, do you remember?
Speaker 6 (33:15):
I do.
Well, we were discussing aboutwhat our plan would be for the
halftime ceremony.
We were like, oh, we'll just dosome music and it'll be nice
and easy.
And you, Mr Villinga, wanted adrum roll.
Yeah, so we're going to get tothe 2024 Homecoming King and
Queen R drum roll.
(33:35):
So I was looking on Spotify andwe just thought, well, what if
we have the actual band do adrum roll?
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yeah, I think you came in.
We're talking about that.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
Yeah, you guys are talking.
And I came in and I'm likehearing, oh, we can have the
band play.
And I was like, oh guys, holdon, I can definitely go down
there and figure things out.
And we had no source ofcommunication with one another
whatsoever.
Like complete trust was givento me to carry out this.
Like little mission, should Isay, of letting the drumline
(34:03):
majors know hey, can you do adrum roll when we have our
person do the announcement andthey're.
I talked to mr hammond and hewas like, yeah, sure, we can
definitely do that.
I'm like, okay, perfect.
And it took me a while becauseI was also doing like other side
tasks.
Like I was not only talking tothe band but I was trying to
take pictures of everyhomecoming group they.
(34:24):
That was already a huge task onits own, but and we're sitting
up there too.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
So we have the spotify drum roll ready to go
just in case and like, well,we're gonna.
We feel like she's gonna comethrough right absolutely right.
Speaker 6 (34:37):
no Right, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
So we get to that point, and then homecoming 25 is
, and then that live drum rollfrom across the way.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
They were loud.
We could hear them from thebooth.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
And just experiencing it from where we were.
I just got chills.
Speaker 7 (34:53):
And.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I was like, yeah, this is where it's, at Like on
the fly, in the moment you doingit, us trusting you and it
coming through.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
It was so cool to have like student involvement,
like that was entirely based offof students and saying, yes,
we'll do it.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
True enough right.
And you came through with allthe photos too, because they all
are inside my messy files now.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Well, this was a cool thing too.
That was done on the fly thatnight.
So you have what?
Every 10 yards, you have acouple on that field, but you
did something to make it richer.
What did you do?
Speaker 4 (35:27):
So I felt like people are nominated to represent
their class and they deserve alittle bit more than just being
out on that field, likesometimes you can't see them
when you're so far up in the inthose bleachers.
So I was like, well, I willtake a picture of every grade as
a group and have us click on itas we're announcing these
(35:51):
sophomores, freshmen, juniorsand seniors.
Because I just felt like noteverybody's gonna get get that
shout out of like oh, I'mhomecoming king and queen.
So I felt like, in order toequalize that out, it was
putting their face on thejumbotron, that way their loved
ones can see them and they'rerecognized by that huge, because
that is a huge accomplishment.
They're being recognized bytheir student body Like this is
(36:11):
who we want to be represented byat that football game.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
And then coordinating with the two of you to add
graphics to it.
You guys want to speak to that.
Speaker 6 (36:20):
Well, Fatima, she made the graphics on Box Out.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
I did.
Oh, you did that too.
Yeah, I was hustling.
Speaker 6 (36:26):
Goodness, she made all the graphics, but we had to
click through them and we madethem all in order, which was a
surprise.
Honestly, we didn't loseanybody in there, and this is
happening fast.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
It's fast, I mean there's and just for the regular
person listening, there's alist of stuff that has to
already be happening and it'slike we're really throwing this
in.
Yes, we are and you guys allcome through and it's executed
perfectly.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
It was really fantastic but like seeing
everything get, like seeingeverything come together.
It it's such a satisfyingfeeling.
It's like my work is being puton that jumbotron.
People are getting therecognition that they deserve.
It's an empowering feeling.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Let's go to some contributions from Cody and
Quinn.
You guys were both kind of DJmusic guys.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
And what was fun for us.
Bill, maybe you want to speakto this.
Speaker 5 (37:19):
The coolest part, I think.
So I'm going to come at musicfrom a certain lens, right Old
man, lens Well, it's going to begrunge music and classic rock.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
I stay away from the band type I'm so happy Really,
they're warming up.
I stay away from my jam.
Speaker 5 (37:38):
I'm so happy, I mean really they're warming up.
I stay away from my jam bandsbecause I know that you know
that's just not people's jam.
But what was really cool thisyear as we're as music is
happening is I would see youngkids dancing to a song and then
the next song would come on andI would be standing next to our
superintendent and he'd be like,oh man, what a great song this
is.
And then KJ's there on thesideline and she's like, oh, I
(38:02):
love this song.
So it wasn't focused at any onedemographic within our stadium.
It was literally there wassomething for everybody over the
course of an evening.
It changed the whole feel of aFriday night game.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
Cody, how do you put that together, because you've
been going to a lot of stadiumsfor a long time?
There's a certain set of songsthat are played.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
And you went away from that and it made it so much
better.
Talk about that.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I mean, I just felt like, you know, you just hear
the same songs to every game yougo, like, whether it's high
school football, like even likea Lions game, like it's the same
, it's the same stuff.
So I just kind of went throughmy music you know, I'm an 18
year old, I'm a, I'm a teenager,like stuff that we all like.
(38:52):
I just went through my musicand I, you know, mixed it up
with some of the stuff sometimesyou hear at games and then just
jammed it all together and hitthe playlist.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
Even now if we're in a pinch.
So if we're at a basketballgame and none of you are there,
bill and I are like where'sCody's playlist?
Where's Cody's playlist?
Speaker 5 (39:14):
I use it at basketball.
The couple of nights I had todo music this year, I used
Cody's basketball playlist.
Speaker 3 (39:19):
I just remember coming over to you a lot and
going what are you playing rightnow?
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Do you remember that?
Yeah, yeah, I do.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
I don't know.
After a while I was like I'mgoing to see if I can get him up
.
I'm going to play somethingelse.
Speaker 5 (39:28):
That would be you I think the most excited I was is
when I heard my gosh.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
We've got black sabbath playing in the stadium
and then we got quinn's approachand you guys are a little bit
different from each other.
Speaker 6 (39:39):
Go ahead, quinn uh, my approach was scrolling
through my own spotify and applemusic and trying to find and my
friends really, because I Idon't really listen to the new
stuff, I'm a little more oldieand then I scrolled through my
dad's spotify too and that'swhere a lot of it came from
because, I mean, my dad has anamazing music taste, I have to
(40:01):
say he does, we're very, we'revery similar um, and just the
music I've picked up, just patyourself on the back the music
I've picked up from the lastcouple years, listening in the
car with him and, like greta vanfleet, black sabbath, uh, I
want pearl, all of it.
I mean, when I put it alltogether I was like this is
awesome, I love this stuff.
(40:21):
And then you just play what thevibe is in the stadium and it
all works together.
You just got to have a goodfeel for what the time is right.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
That's a really important part because you know,
doing this work, it's alwayslike well, should we like plan
the whole thing out?
I've always come back to no,because every night's different
and every person.
If you're good, you can feelthe vibe of the night and really
make a contribution is and whatyou guys did this year.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
Yeah, and I will add um with also gathering some of
my other music.
Uh, I got it from like playingnba 2k 15 when I was in like
third grade and like theinfluence of 2k yeah, I just I
played that day and night and Iknew all the songs that were in
their game and the ones I liked.
So I mean a lot of 2k and, uh,other games soundtracks
(41:10):
contributed to to the playlist alot of fun with all those
things.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
Let's go to some of what an educator might call your
learning moments.
I have them down as your epicfails which is fine, because I
have them too.
I have them too.
Now, what's funny thing is, Icouldn't remember any from you.
Was there anything that you didup there where you're like oops
, I don't?
Speaker 4 (41:31):
know I feel like Quinn has seen me like trip up a
couple of times here and thereon the Jumbotron.
Oh, black screens.
Speaker 7 (41:41):
I, there was a lot.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
Not a lot of black screens, but it was just.
Sometimes I would blink out andI'm like when am I supposed to
click again?
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Well, that's a program program error, cause
they're supposed to likesomething's supposed to run
through and pop back, but we'dhad some little issues.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
Okay, so yeah, little issues okay.
Speaker 3 (41:55):
So yeah, that's actually, but it was like fault.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
You gotta yeah, you gotta be on that, be on that,
but is but no, yeah, you aresupposed to be on it, but that's
probably like my biggest thing.
It's like don't trust thesystem completely.
Have a backup, you know.
Always remember to click thatbutton at least once again once
the timer's up, so that way youdon't have a black screen on
that jumbotron and you havesomething that the audience can
always look at yeah, yeah, don'tget caught looking at the game
(42:18):
too much or pulling out yourphone or whatever the case may
be, because mistake is comingquick.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
Cody and Bill, you have a shared history on one
thing, cody.
Do you remember getting theanthem prepped and something
happening that didn't go yourway?
If you have wiped this fromyour memory, that's really good
on your brain to take this out.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
Think I did so.
Speaker 3 (42:40):
I think you gotta, you gotta tell me again all
right, so it well, this happenedto bill kennedy.
Speaker 5 (42:44):
Yeah, mr, yeah, so when you're using, using spotify
for music and you think you gotthe anthem lined, all ready to
go and you hit play and youstill have the other song low in
the bottom bar that's actuallygoing to play.
So I'm trying to think back towhat song it was.
Oh.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
I know which one it was.
Speaker 5 (43:05):
It's Welcome to the Jungle.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 5 (43:07):
So, ladies and gentlemen, now please stand for
your national anthem, and it was.
Welcome and I quick was like ohpause, get the anthem loaded.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
Now, Cody, I thought that happened to you, but you
don't remember it.
You've wiped it from yourmemory.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
I don't know, Give me some context.
Maybe Do you remember that'sthe context.
Speaker 4 (43:28):
You played a video instead of the national anthem.
I don't remember the hype video?
No, it wasn't the hype video.
Speaker 5 (43:32):
It was just the song because of the way that.
Spotify loads them up.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
And I have to be honest here, you're not the only
two to do it, because I've beenin lacrosse booth by myself and
it also happened.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
So it does happen to everybody.
That wasn't when you wererunning it through your cell
phone.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
No, that was at a new stadium.
Those are two really good.
You know two or three reallygood stories, but it doesn't
match up.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
It was probably so traumatizing that they just
wiped it off.
Speaker 3 (43:59):
Probably.
That's probably what happened.
It doesn't come close to thelight incident.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
What happened?
Speaker 6 (44:05):
at the light incident .
Speaker 2 (44:06):
That was rough.
Speaker 6 (44:09):
Well, at the start of the season I saw Auburn, the
university, do something likegoing into their going into like
their third quarter, where theyturn off all the lights and
make them go blood red andthey're playing a song and I
think it's sweet, okay.
So I was like, oh, that couldbe awesome.
And so I make a mashup of likean air raid, siren, and then it
(44:32):
transitions into power by kanyewest and it.
It worked really well, and thenyou and then I would do all the
flashing lights and this wouldgo right into the third quarter
and it got everyone super pumpedfor the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
Yeah, and you ran it by me.
It's like hey do you think wecan do this?
We can probably pull this off.
Speaker 4 (44:47):
You're all about it.
Did you guys practice this atall?
Speaker 6 (44:50):
Yeah, I had run it every home game.
And this was going into weeknine against Hudsonville, and
earlier in the game when wescored a touchdown I flashed the
lights and there was a littlebit of delay, not enough to
where I really got concerned,but I was like that was weird,
something's off, oh boy.
And then I'm going through itand I click the lights.
(45:13):
Well, I click the music, soit's going and I click the
lights following.
So then they start flashing andyou're supposed to the way I do
it as you go to the differentsettings to give it some variety
, and it didn't switch, it wasstuck on one of them, like the
pole chaser or something forprobably two minutes.
(45:34):
Yeah, would not switch and Iinstantly grabbed the radio and
I'm like the lights are broken.
Speaker 4 (45:38):
The lights are broken .
They're not switching off andMr Kennedy goes.
Speaker 6 (45:43):
Well, you've got to hit high.
I'm like the screen's notworking and I just sat down on
the mouse.
I'm like I'm not going to touchanything and I just leaned back
in my chair.
I'm like this is past my paygrade.
Speaker 4 (45:57):
Which is nothing, which is nothing.
You're on volunteeropportunities, yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (46:03):
I was down on the sideline and I'm like, oh, this
is sweet Place is going crazy.
Student sections are both intothings.
I'm like, all right, man, theselights seem to be running a
little longer than normal.
Then I hear Quinn call, so thenI called Jordan.
Jordan Foster is our facilitiesguy.
He's always on duty on Fridaynights because he's a jack of
(46:24):
all trades.
He just happened to be up onthe roof of the concession stand
because one of Hudsonville'skicking balls went up onto the
roof.
Speaker 4 (46:33):
So he's just casually on the roof.
Speaker 5 (46:35):
Well, he went up to get this ball down for
Hudsonville, so I call him Twominutes might have been five.
If that wasn't the case, he'slike I'm just on the ladder
coming down, I'll go and resetit.
And so now we know.
We know where the lights alwayshave been the actual manual
controls.
So he just went in, turned themoff, turned them back on and we
were good to go.
Speaker 6 (46:55):
Although while he was on the roof he got a pretty
sweet video of it going on.
Speaker 5 (46:58):
Yes, he did, I saw it on his Instagram yes, he got a
great video and then come tofind out there was a server
crash for Musco, who was ourlighting company.
So there were server crashesand Musco lighting systems
across the country were affected.
It just happened to time up andthen.
(47:23):
Since then we have also found Idid not know that we had a wire
.
Speaker 6 (47:25):
That was basically defective, so we've had that
replaced and we should be goodto go for the well, it's not my
spring season.
Speaker 3 (47:28):
Main story was not quinn's fault what I liked about
that a lot, so people are goingto call it a mistake.
I love the fact that you'repushing boundaries, number one,
which always comes with a QuinnVanderkamp mischievous smirk.
You guys all know about this,right.
Speaker 4 (47:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Your dad says we have him on a pretty good path, but
I always have to remind him tokeep it in.
The rumble strips is the line.
So, quinn, you're alwayspushing stuff, but I always
appreciate it actually, and whatI really liked about that
moment is nobody lost it,everyone just remained relaxed.
Everybody, the whole booth,bill, jordan getting it done,
(48:06):
and for the people in the crowdthat night, if you're listening
to this podcast and you're atthat game, you remember it and
guess what?
that was fun yeah so sometimesthese mistakes don't really mean
anything.
Speaker 5 (48:17):
Yeah, I was down on the sideline.
I always go and visit thevisiting ADs.
I'm pretty tight with BenFarkas over at Hudsonville and I
remember standing with him.
It was like first quarter andhe's like dude, this is quite
the production you have going on.
And I am like, yeah, and it'sall run by students right now
and was just like you have gotto be kidding me.
(48:40):
You have students running yourvideo board.
You have students running themusic.
Yep, we sure do.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
Yeah, I remember the one guy from Granham goes how do
you prevent them from playingbad music?
I go, you just got to worktogether like you got to trust
him.
Speaker 4 (48:54):
I think being a student and given that trust,
it's like a huge accomplishment,because then you're being
prepared for a career that youare interested in and you just
kind of take the reins of it andthat's the most best feeling
ever.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 5 (49:10):
So one of the really cool parts that have kind of
been pushed by this group issomething that I've been
championing for for a couple ofyears now.
One of the real bummers abouthaving these beautiful boards
out in the stadium is that oncethe winter season hits, you come
back inside and, in all honesty, it gets kind of boring because
(49:31):
it's just scoreboards and somemusic and that's really it, but
because we've been able to kindof connect our students into the
process.
At last month's board meeting,board project was approved for
the main gym.
So we're going to have videoboards in the gym which now
allows us to do boys and girlsvolleyball, boys and girls
(49:52):
basketball, wrestling,competitive cheer, competitive
dance.
Our assemblies will becompletely different.
We won't have to, like lastweek at the unified assembly,
wait for the baskets to belowered because it's in the way
of the projection screen.
It's going to change kind ofwhat we can do and really add
more opportunities for you all.
(50:12):
I know that you're all bummedout that it's happening after
you leave, but maybe talk to usabout, um, how that makes you
feel that you guys all bummedout that it's happening after
you leave, but maybe talk to usabout, um, how that makes you
feel that you guys were reallythe ones that kind of maybe
pushed us in this direction tohave this project happen it's
exciting for the people below us.
Speaker 6 (50:30):
Um, in football and baseball, we always say that
we're building a program not forus, but for the people below us
, so I was happy to be a part ofbuilding another program that
is hopefully going to take off.
And, yeah, I wish I was ajunior or a sophomore.
Speaker 2 (50:46):
Yeah yeah, I just obviously I wish I was a junior
too, um, but it's, it's superexciting and I hope that, like
you know, I I can come back.
You know five, six years andit's super exciting and I hope
that I can come back five, sixyears and it's just completely
student-run, super smooth.
I hope to come back and justsee how amazing production is
(51:11):
and how far we've come.
Speaker 4 (51:15):
I think it's really exciting to just imagine the
opportunities are going to begiven to younger generations
it's a completely differentfield that they're entering into
and to be given that learningopportunity, to learn what it's
like being at the booth,learning how to control
jumbotrons and even like thosescreens at a basketball game.
It's empowering for students toknow that, hey, like I'm able
(51:38):
to do this, imagine what more Ican do later on in my future.
And it's like a completelydifferent know that hey, like
I'm able to do this, imaginewhat more I can do later on in
my future.
And it's like a completelydifferent perspective that
they're given for everyonelistening.
Speaker 7 (51:45):
I think it's really important to remember, too, that
most schools don't have this.
I mean, let's go back to basics.
Most schools don't have abroadcasting class.
Most schools do not have astudio in a control room and a
podcast studio.
Most schools don't do any ofthis, and it's just another way
that makes West Ottawa soincredibly special.
Speaker 3 (52:08):
We got the spring season coming up, you'll be
doing you know you're playingsports and doing some live
broadcasting, so some otherpeople will move into some
different roles.
I know, cody, you don't have aspring sport, so we got some
really great opportunities thatwe're going to probably work on
with you.
Speaker 5 (52:21):
We're going to get you behind the mic.
You're going to announce somegames this spring.
Speaker 2 (52:25):
I'd love to do that yeah, oh yeah, it's happening.
Speaker 3 (52:27):
Let's talk about where you guys are moving
forward to.
You know, you're always welcometo come back we've had Connor
Woolley.
Speaker 5 (52:33):
Connor Woolley man.
He'll be back in the spring todo some stuff for sure, but as
you guys, move forward.
Speaker 3 (52:38):
Let's talk about you, cody.
You're going to move intosports journalism.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
This is something you want to try and do, yeah so
right now the plan is if I getinto michigan, right, that's
where I'm going.
I got deferred, but if I get in,I'm going to go there and
probably do sports managementthere, because unfortunately
they don't have okay, journalismor sports journalism, but
otherwise I'm going to Tennesseeand going to do sports
(53:02):
journalism there and I hope togo to school there, have some
fun and really meet some people,get an internship, hopefully
with maybe it's a team, maybeit's a sports broadcasting
company like CBS Sports, espn.
Yeah, that's the path I want togo down and I think that's my
(53:24):
path to happiness later in life.
Speaker 3 (53:27):
That's really awesome , Quinn.
You're heading off to Hope.
Speaker 6 (53:29):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (53:30):
You already have some opportunities there because of
some of the things you've beendoing here.
Speaker 6 (53:34):
Well, I went on an Anchor Day visit and I was lucky
enough to be able to secure ameeting with Freddy Vasquez.
He is the live streamcoordinator at Hope College and
he talked to me about how alltheir live streams are student
run and I was like, wow, this isawesome, I want to be a part of
this.
And me and my mom were like,wow, this is going to be a huge
(53:55):
pull for Hope College, as if Iwasn't going to go there anyway
and yeah, so then that was ahuge thing.
And then at the end hementioned and you get paid
$11.50 an hour.
And that blew my mind because Iwouldn't get paid to do this.
I would do this for free.
Speaker 5 (54:13):
Find a way to get paid to do what you love.
Speaker 4 (54:18):
As of right now, I'm planning on going to michigan
state.
I haven't gotten actually anyanswer from the university of
michigan so I'm still waiting.
So, like late april, I'llfigure that path.
But I definitely know thatwhatever comes to paths with
universities, I'll end up goingto state.
They have so many opportunitiesin terms of like communications
and broadcasting and I knowthat with just like pulling some
(54:41):
strings and getting someconnections, I could definitely
work at stadiums and athleticcenters.
So, like gymnastics, football,stadium basketball, I feel like,
whatever happens, like I'mdefinitely going to go into the
broadcasting world.
I'm very determined to make themost out of Michigan State and
definitely work at it.
I really want to work in thesports realm.
(55:02):
I just don't know what.
I know that I'm completelydedicated to communications.
Speaker 3 (55:06):
Yeah, I just watched some Robin Roberts videos.
Do you know who she is?
Speaker 4 (55:10):
You always mention her and I fail to look her up
All right, so you will afterthis.
Speaker 3 (55:14):
So check out Robin Roberts.
It's a great story.
She just you remind me of ayoung her like I knew, a young
her which I did not, but youknow your involvement here has
been nothing short of inspiring.
You know, going to school,though we talked about this a
couple weeks ago by the scorer'stable.
Speaker 4 (55:30):
I got the promise scholarship yeah.
I got the, which is essentiallya full ride to whatever college
or university in the state ofMichigan, which which is a huge,
huge, huge help, and honestly Ijust view it as another
opportunity for me to like,advance and secure my spot of
achieving my dreams, essentially, and it's like it's mind
(55:52):
blowing to know that I have thatcapacity and there's a
community behind me that viewsthat capacity in me.
Speaker 3 (55:58):
When we were talking that night too, you also said
for a long time, though, youdidn't dare dream of it no,
speak to that if you can.
Speaker 4 (56:04):
I really didn't think college was an opportunity for
me.
I really thought I would justget out of high school, start
working and then live that typeof life Not saying it's not bad,
but it really did prevent mefrom thinking of a career path
that I would actually enjoy.
Life was mostly about working,get your money, pay the bills
and call it a day.
So getting that PromiseScholarship it's given me the
(56:26):
opportunity to look beyond thatand really dream more about what
it is that I'm passionate about, and I finally allowed myself
to really immerse myself intobroadcasting, because it wasn't
just something that I can getout of high school, it's
something that I can get incollege.
And the word college was justso foreign and it was almost
(56:46):
like taboo, honestly.
But now that I have thatpromise, it's like I know what I
want and I'm not afraid todream even more beyond
broadcasting and sports,journalism and everything around
that realm.
Speaker 7 (56:59):
West Ottawa grads.
Wherever you go, there aregoing to be lots of
opportunities.
The only thing standing in yourway is you going after them and
you doing what Quinn did in theconversation at his Hope visit
Like I want to do this.
You just have to say it, youjust have to communicate it.
(57:19):
You just have to communicate it.
So it's a really great reminder.
Do that at West Ottawa HighSchool, but don't turn it off.
Do it right when you go to yournext place.
Speaker 3 (57:31):
Hopefully a lot of young kids are listening to this
.
You guys have really brought alot of.
If you dream it, you can do itto today, Taking a chance and
doing something like this andmaking it happen.
Thanks to all four of you forcoming in.
You're all very inspiring.
We love the work that you doand let's just remember we are.
Speaker 6 (57:48):
West Ottawa we are community and we are each other.
Speaker 5 (57:51):
Thanks guys, thanks so much guys.
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