Photo courtesy of CoogTV
CoogTV , UH’s tudent-run broadcast media organization, was selected to serve as a part of the production team for the 2021 USAA Air Hockey World Championship. What’s more, the championship is being aired this week on ESPN 8’s The Ocho.
“I honestly can’t remember the last time we’ve had the opportunity to do something like this,” said CoogTV executive producer Joe Michael Coronado. “Let alone with a network as big as ESPN.”
The opportunity to host the event arose when a UH alumnus involved with the organization reached out to CoogTV after they were unable to reach an agreement with faculty from the Valenti School of Communications.
Never one to pass on an opportunity to get some media exposure, Coronado was quick to jump on the offer.
“Everyone in broadcast knows that if it comes your way, you have to jump on it,” Coronado said. “So I was like, whatever you need, we got you covered.”
Though CoogTV has extensive organizational experience in shooting, editing and producing video content, the project was not without its challenges.
Adapting to the fast-paced environment of professional air hockey is no easy task, said CoogTV production team leader Hogan He. For He, the project was a test of the organization’s ability to adapt and overcome a novel set of challenges.
“We stepped into the project without knowing too much of the content,” He said. “But on production, everyone focused on their own things. From camera to audio, from grip to production managing, we came together not just as individuals, but as a team.”
That ability to work as a team would prove crucial to the production’s success. Apart from the general stress that comes with shooting any major event, the intensity and extreme pace of the championship would serve as a proving ground for CoogTV’s ability to operate in a high-stress environment.
Sports producer Lindsey Jimenez echoed this sentiment, adding that the experience had demonstrated to her the importance of preparation and pre-production.
“The most significant part about this project was understanding and adapting when it came to the day of productions,” Jimenez said. “Everything is happening all at once and you have to make sure to capture the moment before it is gone.”
Despite the challenges, CoogTV managed to shoot, edit and produce the tournament in time for ESPN’s deadline.
Looking back on the experience, Coronado said that he now feels that he and his team are fully prepared for any opportunities that come their way.
“Hopefully with this experience, we’ll be fully prepared for similar projects,” Coronado said. “We put a ton of effort into this, and it’s really made us more confident and hungry for more.”
You can catch CoogTV’s coverage of the USAA Air Hockey world championship this Sunday, Aug. 7 at 10 a.m CST and again on Monday, Aug. 8 at 7:30 p.m CST on ESPN 2.
