Blackhawk games on RTV

Production gives back to community

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Mark Laster and Matt Wood provided play by play accounts of the Pea Ridge Blackhawk football games throughout the season and playoffs.
TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Mark Laster and Matt Wood provided play by play accounts of the Pea Ridge Blackhawk football games throughout the season and playoffs.

A love of football, students and the community motivates Mark Laster and Matt Wood to go to all Blackhawk football games and stand throughout the game giving play-by-play coverage of Blackhawk football.

Providing a way for Blackhawk fans who can't attend out of town games to view the games, Laster and Wood joined forces and are the voices and hands behind RTV -- the school's TV production channel. Students in Laster's TV production classes operate the cameras.

RTV website: http://www.useducat…

Twitter: Mark Laster@PeaRidgeRTV

Laster, TV production instructor at Pea Ridge High School, and Matt Wood, Pea Ridge Middle School principal, make a good team.

Laster, former Blackhawk football coach, knows football. He is the "color commentator" and describes what went into each play, gives insight to the game and why each play developed. In addition to coaching football for 20 years, Laster played football from third grade through college.

Matt Wood is the play-by-play commentator. He, too, played football. "I've always been an avid football fan," he said.

"I liked him; I liked his voice," Laster said of Wood.

A PRHS student works with the team as a camera operator. The team uses a computer, an audio mixer and a wifi router. There are space limitations to how much room they have when out of town and the two men try to work within the space allotted. "Sometimes we're in the visiting coaches' room side by side with coaches who have on headphones," Laster said.

"We prefer to be outside because of the feel of the game and the fans' enthusiasm," Laster said.

On Friday, Nov. 27, the RTV production of the Blackhawk football quarter-final game against Central Arkansas Christian in Little Rock had 4,000 hits, Laster said. "According to our websites' host, that means over 10,000 people watched it. There were hits from 30 different states and two different countries."

Laster and Wood said the RTV production allows grandparents and other relatives who live far away to watch their athletes play.

"From the feedback from people, there were many over Thanksgiving who didn't have the opportunity or couldn't make it to the game," Wood said. "I also just think it just brings the community together. There's always going to be people who go to the games."

The home games were not broadcast, Wood said.

"Thankfully, through our advertising and sponsors, we're able to bring it to the fans free," Laster said, explaining that some schools charge for productions.

"CAC wanted to know our link," he said, explaining that because of the torrential rains, fans selected to watch the game from home. "We got a lot of hits from CAC people because they don't have their own streaming."

"We got permission from the AAA (Arkansas Athletics Association)," Laster said, adding that the AAA charges them to cover the playoff games. The first few rounds are $150 and later rounds were $250. He said coverage had cost $700 by Friday, Dec. 4.

"If we go to the final, they want $5,000 to cover the championship game," he said.

Some Blackhawk basketball games will be broadcast. Laster said he always announces coverage through his Twitter account, Mark Laster@PeaRidgeRTV.

"People tell us we're good," Laster said. "I think Matt, as well as he does, he's very articulate and his voice is good. We work well together. The first time we did it, we meshed.

"Mark has that background; it takes someone listening and watching. It's just us," Wood said, explaining that national sports commentators have an earphone and have someone advising them what to say. "It's thinking on your feet and making sure you make the game interesting and trying to be accurate. I want to provide the background on the players and coaches. It's good exposure for the community and kids and what they do.

"It works well," Laster said. Using the controls available, he switches between commercials and live play, records the score, regulates the audio for the two of them and uses an ambient mic to allow the watchers to hear the crowd.

"I would love to take more students if we had the space to do it," he said.

"Everything has worked perfect this year," Wood said.

"I really want to thank the sponsors who have really helped during the playoffs. Without them, it wouldn't be possible," Laster said.

"I like to be able to bring the game to the people of Pea Ridge," Wood said.

"I like having the opportunity to do something for the community that gives back to us so much," Laster said.

"We try to be as objective as possible," Wood said.

"We do know and love these kids," Laster said.

Both said that often hometown announcers complain about referees and plays, but they prefer to keep a positive aspect to their coverage.

General News on 12/09/2015