The past couple of weeks have been by far the best experience I have had as a reporter. Between commentating three hockey games, being fully invested as a beat writer and doing weekly interviews, and covering the Beanpot, it’s been doing some of the things that I’ve always wanted to do.
(Not to mention a class which is basically real life sports talk radio and the pressures of that, which is a lot but also kind of a great challenge).
When I first came to Boston University I was through the roof that I was going to a lacrosse school. I had thought about going to Syracuse solely for the reason I wanted to be at a media school where lacrosse is a big deal. So when BU, my dream school since I was kid, picked up a lax program two years ago, I was about as excited about that as most people would be about going to a football school.
I started signing up for clubs/student media right after orientation after I bothered everyone I could there about how to join things. The first thing I tried to establish was that I wanted to be the lacrosse person at this school and I wanted to broadcast games. I wanted to write, to be involved with the program.
Fortunately, the communications department at BU and the team itself has been incredibly receptive and welcoming of the coverage, and I’ve been able to become an invested beat writer for the team in the way I’ve seen people cover the Red Sox or teams like that.
I was also given the opportunity to be the commentator on the Patriot League Network, something that I was completely dedicated to getting this semester. I started doing the hockey commentating a few weeks ago, but that was to be ready for this opportunity. Lacrosse is my sport, and I felt confident I could do as good a job as anyone broadcasting the games for this team.
I also have the opportunity to broadcast MIT lacrosse games as a play by play announcer, which I am also looking forward to and am thankful that this opportunity was set up.
Of course, as per usual, I was nervous a bit before the broadcast. Did I know enough, could I speak about the team in a way people would understand. It actually blew me away how at ease I felt once the broadcast began and how comfortable I felt talking about this team. There was somehow less pressure than the hockey broadcasts, even though I know hockey as well as anyone that I know.
(Side note: turns out research helps, something I should keep in mind for homework).
The Terriers won, 9-5, over Providence College, and after the game two other student reporters and I got to participate in a press conference and availability from some of the players, something I didn’t expect would happen with a lacrosse program.
It felt official, and it felt real. The team is going to compete this season, and I get to be a part of it as their beat writer and commentator, which one way or another is a great feeling to have that sense of belonging to a (small) community of BU lacrosse.
Marisa Ingemi 