Rhiannon Myhre ’25
Oct 20, 2023
Sports. A genre of entertainment that people of all ages enjoy. An outlet to express yourself or just enjoy some really good corn dogs and popcorn. Busy students may not be able to stay up to date on sports contests of their friends. And because most student-athletes are boarders, their far-flung families may not be able to witness and celebrate special moments in their kids’ sports careers.
Luckily, it's not just the big leagues that are equipped with sports media. Mercersburg Academy offers an internship program each term so students can immerse themselves in the world of sports media and learn about the business. This fall, athletic directors Lauren Jacobs and Paul Sipes entrusted Norah Copenhaver ’24, Abi Bam ’24, Zoe Shykind ’24, and Ashlyn Campbell ’24 with this coveted role.
What does the internship involve? Copenhaver said, “In general, we work with you, the athletic department as assistants, managing social media, helping out with sports events, and I take photos.”
Though this may sound like a rather simple PGA, media assistants have many responsibilities that have to be completed with minimal error. Sipes said, “They need to be able to take good action photos, understand how to use Production Truck software, Max-Preps, Wix-websites, HUDL, and Boxcast streaming and game recordings.”
Campbell shared her perspective. “While it might be considered an ‘easy’ PGA to some people, a lot of work goes into it that some people might not realize. All of the rosters, schedules, and posts on Instagram are mainly made by media assistants. While we’re more of a behind-the-scenes PGA, it takes a lot of effort and work to do what we do, and I think that’s something that not many people realize.”
Despite the tight schedule, media assistants enjoy the role and contribution they make to the athletic program. Campbell said, “Taking pictures is so much fun; while it’s not my main job, I enjoy it and always try to do my best when asked.”
Media assistants are working to achieve a common goal. Sipes said, “I am sure they are just looking forward to having completed the season and being able to share all of the pictures they took!”
Though it isn’t easy to navigate all that sports media entails, from running the Mercersburg athletics Instagram page to literally running in an attempt to cover every game, these assistants take it in stride.