BY SEENA GREIWE | Ball State Sports Link
After high school, my life did a complete 180. Everything changed.
If someone had asked me a year ago what I would be doing right now, I would not have expected to tell them the following.
Since starting at Ball State University, I have had the privilege of joining many groups and programs, including Sports Link.
When I chose Digital Sports Production as my major, I did not think I would be able to say I am a part of one of the nation’s top broadcasting programs. At the time, I did not know what this major or program entailed.
I came in pretty blind. The first few weeks of being in Sports Link was a roller coaster ride.
One second I felt like I knew what was going on and I would think I was ahead of the game, and next thing I knew I felt like I was drowning in the deep end and did not know how to stay afloat.
I felt like everyone knew what they were doing and everything was happening all around me. I felt trapped and like I was not contributing enough, but I did not know how to.
I began to engage with the older members and I have never felt so welcomed. They gave me some great advice and I realized everyone in Sports Link at some point in time was in the same boat as I was.
What I realized is you cannot be worried about what everyone else is doing, you can only control what you do. I needed to stop feeling trapped and move along and dive into the experience. I have been floating ever since.
Sports Link has been one of the best opportunities I have had in my life and I am blown away with how much hands-on action I have been given. Many people, including my instructors, are willing to help me so I can learn something new every day and reach my full potential.
Last semester, I had a mixture of opportunities while being in Sports Link.
A few of these opportunities consist of helping run camera for SL GameDay Live, presented by Stoops Buick GMC, run replay for our ESPN3 Soccer Broadcasts, produce content and graphics on our social media accounts, and film highlights and interviews for different sports.
At the start of basketball season, I was given the chance to lead the production of a “meet the player” series of 13 videos in 13 days about our women’s basketball team.
A few weeks later, I found myself co-producing our men’s basketball games on ESPN 3 with fellow senior Kaitlyn Young.
I would have never thought I would be able to say I did any of this within my first semester college!
Sports Link has given me all these amazing opportunities and being in the program has even led me to a few jobs.
I had heard about a job opening as a production assistant for ESPN3 at the beginning of the year, so I decided to apply even though I had minimal experience in live production. I ended up being offered the job and I gladly accepted!
While working as a Production Assistant for ESPN3, I have had the opportunity to be a replay operator for the volleyball games, be a time-out coordinator for a few of the games, and even a camera operator for football games broadcasting on ESPN3.
Just when I thought nothing could get any better, I found out Sports Link would be pairing to collaborate with the NCAA! I, of course, was interested but I was not sure if I would be selected to be apart of it.
When I found out that I would be able to produce content for the NCAA Cross Country and Track and Field accounts, I was bursting with excitement!
Coming into freshman year, I never thought I would be able to say I made graphics or videos on an NCAA account with thousands of impressions, but it happened!
This year's #ncaaXC Championships were EVERYTHING!
RECAP: https://t.co/ehFTli2prI pic.twitter.com/hvgSC1pb4z
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) November 19, 2017
I have been so incredibly blessed with all of the opportunities I have received in the short amount of time I have been here. I came into all this not knowing what to expect, but now I am doing the unexpected.
I can’t wait to see what comes next in 2018.
