Breaks in the game are prime territory for Marquise Gassen (‘27).
Like others on the broadcast team, the second-year NDN Sports veteran is the first student in her role, having first appeared during the Purple-White Spring Game at the end of her freshman year.
As the program has grown, so has Marquise’s courage on camera. Amid the learning curve of new equipment and fine turning the process of accomplishing the feat, she has never wavered and handled the bumps with stride, spirt and a smile that lights up the night.
Q. What does a Friday night look like for you?
A. “I will walk the sidelines, and see how the game is going. Then, I will see how other games are doing (right then), and make sure every now and then see if the student section is hype. And the biggest thing is, interviewing players, and making sure everyone knows the score.”
Q. What is like getting ready to go live on the sidelines?
A. “It is pretty stressful having to make sure the production is ready to film, and making sure it is a good time to interview the players that are having a good game. Like, I make sure to interview after an interception, or any kind of turnover on downs.”
Q. What is like getting to talk to people on the sidelines?
A. “Most of the people I have known my whole life, so it is really just me hanging out with my friends. But, I really love getting to hang out with the coaches, getting to know them, and I really like talking to the student trainers.”
Q. What was it like getting to do the sideline reporting for the first time?
A. “It was terrifying, I was stressing out so much weeks ahead making sure I knew what to say when I was out there. I think it was really fun though because we had got done winning state, and I was interviewing the parents on how it was watching their kids go from PNGYFA, if they did it, to now winning the state title.”
Marquise will handle the play-by-play duties this Tuesday as the Rock-A-Noos host Nederland for Round 2 of volleyball district action. Be sure to tune in and watch.
#PNGproud #CaptureLife
