Hidden behind the scenes, the Platte County press box crew records and livestreams games for the benefit of the school district, allowing free access to games from anywhere. The team behind the press box is tight knit, and well connected.
“We’re basically just bonding, we are like a whole family in the press box and during the games every Friday night we just try to have fun,” senior Tug Thornton said.
Thornton joined the press box after learning of the opportunity from Daniel Bunge, a former press box member. Since that moment, he has stayed because of the opportunity to gain knowledge, the benefits for him, and the ability to learn about different careers. Thornton even recalls Athletic Director Gabe Middleton, the head of the press box lecturing him on how this benefits his learning, and possible career.
“[Middleton] wants you to go out and get experience in the pursuits that you might be interested in, and this is a field that I believe that I just want to pursue excellence in,” Thornton said.
Pursuing the press box has its challenges however, that make the balancing act challenging.
“Time constraints with school are a huge one, and sometimes, I wish that it didn’t have to be the way it is. School and classes are important and whatnot, but they do sometimes get in the way of progress when it comes to video board, but again we’re still in high school, we’re students. It should be my classes first.”
Though school is important for students working in the press box they still have to fit their extracurricular activities around their duties.
“I’m balancing all my video board work with sports, like my sport soccer, and it just takes up time. It’s all about time, because you have to deal with technology too, but it isn’t as bad as it sounds.”
Students like Thornton aren’t the only people who work in the press box. Like Thornton, social studies teacher Bret Anderson, the announcer for multiple different sports including football, was pulled into working for the press box as well.
“When I first came here 19 years ago, there was already somebody that was doing it, and they were going to be gone for one Friday night [so I filled in]. Since then, I have served as the substitute for the scoreboard, announcing a lot of different things,” Anderson said.
He also feels that being an announcer is a benefit worth his time.
“I enjoy it a lot. I enjoy Friday nights. I have a really good seat for the game. And I kind of get to be a part of it.”
