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The media crew will make its seventh trip to Sioux City today. When HC Media first traveled to Iowa it strictly covered Hastings games. That changed three years ago.
Three years ago the NAIA started contracting HC Media to provide live video of every game at the tournament except the championship game. The video is broadcast throughout the Tyson Event Center and streamed on the NAIA's web site.
While in Sioux City, crew members write stories, make video/audio packages, shoot images and produce live radio and TV broadcasts.
" Initially we had some struggles with the NAIA, because they didn't understand what all we (HC Media) were doing," said Chad Power, assistant professor of communication arts and faculty sponsor in Sioux City. So, it was a growing process for them and for us. Once the Sioux City Committee members saw what our students were doing, they embraced us. It's a win-win situation. This year, HC Media is sending 18 students and two faculty sponsors, Power and Brett Erickson, assistant professor of communication arts, to cover the tournament.
"The tournament provides students with an opportunity to be treated as professional media, with professional access. The students are in a professional tournament setting, working seven days straight covering the tournament without any distractions, " Power said. " They get to just focus on storytelling. "
Power, who is making his seventh trip to the tournament, enjoys watching the students grow as journalists during the time they are covering the tournament.
"I enjoy seeing the educational growth you get to see in the students, " Power said. "Initially when the students get to Sioux City they have that deer-in-the-headlights look. Once they settle down, though, they see what they are doing and that they are being treated as professional media. "
Amanda Voss, who is traveling to the tournament for a third time, finds the atmosphere at the tournament exciting.
" I enjoy working in a different environment and getting to experience media in a different way than we do while at school," she said. The unique environment also provides students an opportunity to interact differently than at school. The students spend up to 16 hours a day at the arena covering games. " We all sort of become a family while we are up there (in Sioux City), " Voss said.
