I was recently tasked to cover a campus event in my Writing For Media class. For my campus event, I decided to write about a production event I was part of: the Gulf Coast State College Women’s Volleyball Team. The event took place on September 18, 2026, and featured Gulf Coast State College vs. Florida State College at Jacksonville. The Lady Commodores swept the match by winning three straight sets 25-15, 25-19, and 25-20.
BEFORE THE EVENT
Before the game, the Commodore Productions team arrives to set up all of the necessary equipment to record and stream the broadcast. The broadcast is streamed live for the first time this year on the Hudl app. Viewers can watch the broadcast anywhere in the world using the app. It is also available locally at commodoreproductions.com.
The students involved fulfill all the roles required for the night. Some students are student workers who work part-time to earn money while attending GCSC. Other students volunteer for class credit to get hands-on experience with using real-world digital media equipment.
THE INTERVIEW
After the setup and before the game started, I tracked down the head coach of the Lady Commodores, Scott Allen, and asked him a few questions about the team. Coach Allen is in his ninth season as the Lady Commodores head coach. One question I had for him was about the past success of teams he’s coached: could he tell me about this year’s team?
The coach was able to say, “Yeah, judging by our past teams, I think we’re right there, pretty even with them. We’ve had some top teams in the conference for the past eight seasons, nine seasons, and this team is just as good as them. Maybe even a little more balanced than what we’ve had in the past.” He also said that he thinks they’re a little stronger across the board, meaning that they have really good depth at each position. Coach Allen speaks very highly of all his players, and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to chat with him.
I also briefly spoke with the assistant coach Sydnee Tidwell before the game. Since she is in her first year coaching, I wanted to get a little insight from her. She said that her team has been really welcoming, since she has recently moved here. I also asked her, “Based on your experience as a player, where do you see the team this year?” She responded, “I think we have a great chance to compete. On any given day, it’s who shows up and who works hard, and these girls have been working hard since day one.” She also said that she feels the team has a great chance to be one of the top teams in the conference.
DURING THE SETS
During the volleyball game, I had a really good seat. I operated one of our three stationary broadcast cameras for the first set. Afterward, I switched with another student to operate the fourth broadcast camera, which is the floor camera. I ran that camera for the last two sets. Let me tell you, that’s where the action is!
Other roles help the broadcast run seamlessly, such as an Audio Technician, a Graphics Operator, a Replay Operator, and a Technical Director.
AFTER THE MATCH
After the game, students are responsible for tearing down the equipment and storing it until it’s needed again. Then we have a quick hotwash over how the event went before calling it a night.
THE SEASON
I wanted to take a moment to wish the Lady Commodores good luck for the rest of their season! Currently, through 18 games, the team sits at 13-5, although they are 11-3 in conference play and are sitting in third place.
