‘Gimme a RRAN’
Uniontown looking forward to another season of broadcasting events
Joshua Scully’s dedication to the Uniontown Area School District is evident to anyone who interacts with the Marclay Middle School social studies teacher and basketball coach.
Scully, who graduated from Uniontown in 2004, is also the “Voice of Bill Power Stadium,” among many other activities, but his latest passion is working on turning the Red Raider Athletics Network (RRAN) into one of the strongest high school streaming services available.
While the upcoming school year will technically be the RRAN’s debut season, Scully and volunteers assisted in working out all the kinks last year.
“Our first night, we were huddled around a microphone for a girls basketball game against Bethlehem-Center, and by the end of the school year, we’re doing a WPIAL softball playoff game, so we came a long way in a short period of time,” Scully said. “We did cover some events in the fall, but we began using the Hudl technology in December.”
Scully did play-by-play, color commentary and produced content for RRAN last year, but the goal is to have the students at Uniontown Area High School run the network, while Scully and the other volunteers assist on more of an “as needed” basis.
Following the blessing of the school board, Scully and company worked in creating a broadcasting course that will be offered quarterly for one credit. Chuck Durso will teach the class, which has already received interest from the student body at Uniontown.
“The course is for students in grades 9-12, and the goal is to ensure it is available every nine weeks,” Scully said. “The first quarter class has already maxed out, but we encourage any student to reach out if they would like to be in the class. However, even if they are not in the broadcasting course, they can still assist with the RRAN.
“We are very proud to be able to offer this broadcasting class. We are grateful for Chuck Durso, but also that so many students have shown interest in this. I see this as an opportunity for someone to see their real calling in life. Even if it didn’t become a career, they were able to remember a great experience in their life.”
The student interest in working at the events last year weren’t as strong as Scully would have preferred, but Lucas Mihalko, who was just a freshman, inquired about joining the network, and he provided play-by-play and color commentary for boys and girls basketball games. Mihalko, who is a member of the Red Raiders’ baseball team, wasn’t able to cover in the spring, as scheduling conflicts hindered his availability, but he made an impression on Scully.
“Obviously, Lucas was huge for use last year,” Scully said. “He did a great job with play-by-play and color commentary. Khloey Wakefield, who graduated in June, helped us out in arranging interviews for us at halftime on several occasions. We want to make sure the students get involved, and they don’t have to be on camera if they are uncomfortable. We can have them work in a variety of capacities.”
Scully noted that representatives from Hudl, which is based in Lincoln, Neb., have been complimentary of the RRAN and the work being done. With the Hudl technology, the cameras can be turned on remotely inside the A.J. Everhart Memorial Gymnasium and at Bill Power Stadium, but Scully is looking forward to using a mobile unit to provide broadcasts to sports that are competed in venues where the cameras are not permanently installed.
“We are hopeful to arrange a means to get this technology out to everyone,” Scully said. “We did use a mobile unit with baseball, softball and swimming, which received positive responses, but we have a goal to cover golf, cross country and track & field.
“Those sports provide a bit more of a challenge due to having to maneuver the mobile units, but we will have a plan in place for those broadcasts, which will benefit the parents who may not be able to make it to an event due to work obligations. We don’t want to leave any sport out.”
Establishments in Uniontown have reached out to Scully to inquire if they could stream the RRAN events to their customers, which would be accessible with a Smart TV.
Scully has conversed with Albert Gallatin, Brownsville and Laurel Highlands in an attempt to have away contests available on the RRAN. Approval from those schools would be needed, but the feedback has been positive.
The RRAN is not exclusive to sports, as graduation, the grand march for the prom and school board meetings have been streamed on the network.
Scully is appreciative of the administration and school board within the Uniontown Area School District for their support of the RRAN.
“The school board has placed their faith in us to broadcast their meetings and work sessions, which is a tremendous vote of confidence,” Scully said. “The board had to approve the RRAN, and we have gotten some very good feedback regarding our operation from the school board. I also want to thank our superintendent, Dr. (Dan) Bosnic, and athletic director, Mr. (Harry) Kaufman, for their assistance and support.”
The RRAN is in search of sponsors, and Scully asks to contact him or Kaufman via email if interested. Scully can be reached at joshua.scully@uasdraiders.org and Kaufman at harry.kaufman@uasdraiders.org
“We appreciate our sponsors from last year and those who are willing to assist this year,” Scully said. “This is for the Red Raiders. You are getting all the sports, all the civic and all the life events. It’s primarily for our students, but also for the community, and we want to create a platform that is as inclusive as we can make it.”