CatchMark Technologies managing partner Brent Raeth often talks about win-win situations in business. It’s an ideal situation when both parties, or all of them, benefit in any scenario.

With the CatchMark SportsNet student reporter program, that’s exactly what is happening.

Everybody wins.

Here is how:

• Student reporters, who volunteer their time, receive mentoring and training in media coverage from the CatchMark SportsNet staff. They learn applicable skills such as reporting, writing, photography, videography, social media/marketing, and more, and they sharpen those skills in practical environments.
• Student-athletes covered by student reporters receive additional coverage and exposure from their peers — coverage that they may not otherwise receive.
• Student reporters and athletes develop lifelong relationships and memories from the experiences. For some student reporters — those who may not play sports — they feel as though they belong and that they’re filling an important role.
• School districts benefit because their student-athletes, athletic teams and communities gain even more exposure than usual, plus their students are gaining employable skills while honing abilities to socialize and communicate.
• By working with student reporters and growing their skills, CatchMark SportsNet benefits by being able to cover more teams and produce more content, which our readers and viewers have come to enjoy and rely upon.
• Who knows? Maybe CatchMark SportsNet will be hiring these student reporters some day!

In February, CatchMark SportsNet featured Oakridge senior student reporter Emily Vanderstelt in a Profile of the Week. Vanderstelt will be attending Hope College, where she intends on studying psychology.

Vanderstelt has a passion for photography, which she would love to continue pursuing. Getting involved in the CatchMark SportsNet student reporter program provided her photography opportunities, but it also opened doors she may not have known existed.

By covering a variety of athletic events in the West Michigan Conference across several school districts and communities, including taking photos and videos, conducting interviews and even assisting during media days, Vanderstelt gained friends and made memories. She always looked forward to seeing those friends while out at events for CatchMark SportsNet, and they enjoyed seeing her as well. Furthermore, it provided CatchMark SportsNet another layer of coverage.

Win-win.

Kiara Mikkelsen, who graduated from Montague days ago, may unofficially be the first CatchMark SportsNet student reporter. She began taking photos and video clips in the fall during football season.

Like Vanderstelt, Mikkelsen also has a passion for photography and CatchMark SportsNet gave her opportunities to pursue that love through practical experiences. It wasn’t always easy, like that rainy and cold football game up in Manistee, but she benefited and so did the student-athletes, CatchMark SportsNet and our following because of the coverage she volunteered.

Vanderstelt and Mikkelsen were a bit on the shier side — Mikkelsen maybe more so — but being in the public eye and interviewing student-athletes for CatchMark SportsNet helped them become more confident and outgoing.

Mikkelsen will be headed to Aurora University in Illinois, where she plans to play softball. No matter where her life or career take her, Mikkelsen will have new skills that’ll help her. And she definitely helped CatchMark SportsNet with her photojournalism efforts.

Win-win.

CatchMark SportsNet is looking to grow the student reporter program. If you know of a high school student who may be interested in it — or even a seventh- or eighth-grader — then contact CatchMark SportsNet lead writer and media/marketing special Scott DeCamp at [email protected]. You may also reach us at our general sports email address: [email protected].

CatchMark SportsNet wants to work with local schools and their students. We want to showcase your students, student-athletes and communities.

Help us do that!