Damjan Stinson didn’t hesitate when the opportunity came up last month to be a part of the production crew at the 2024 National Para Hockey Championships in Port Colborne, May 16 to 19.
“Whenever I have the chance to be a camera operator for hockey it’s always exciting for me. I love hockey.”
Stinson, who will graduate from Television Production on June 12, was among a mix of 22 first-, second- and third-year Broadcasting-Radio Television and Film (BTRF) students behind the scenes of the hockey championships at the Vale Health and Wellness Centre. In addition to working as a camera operator, he was also a director and served as a project manager.
“This past year I’ve taken a liking to the directing role in live sports production, so whenever we have the chance to cover a new sport, I like to try to get the directing role,” Stinson said. “I’m also a huge fan of hockey, so getting the chance to direct this great tournament was amazing.”
Para hockey – also known as sledge hockey – is designed to enable athletes with physical disabilities to play ice hockey. Players are strapped into sledges made of a metal frame with a mounted seat and two skate blades attached underneath for balance. Wearing full hockey gear, they use two specially designed hockey sticks with picks on one end for propulsion and a curved blade on the other for handling and shooting the puck.
For Stinson, the speed and strength needed to play the game surprised him a little.
“I had seen footage of sledge hockey, but not until I directed and watched a game live did I truly realize how physical and face-paced (the players) are,” he said. “Watching the team captain of New Brunswick skate was unbelievable. The way he could maneuver on the ice is a prime example of how fast these players can skate, and some of the hits he made during the day were crazy.”
Likewise, camera operator Sierra Maurice, who just finished her second year of the BRTF- Television Production program, said the “passion and the heart of the teams” was impressive, but she didn’t expect the work to be so physically demanding.
“The most challenging thing for camera operators would have been the toll it takes on your body,” she said. “I did a mixture of camera on a fixed tripod (and) handheld, which will definitely get to you. But I’ve got to appoint where I enjoy what I’m doing so much that I don’t really think about the physical toll – it’s too much fun.”
Though the hands-on experience that she got by being a part of the production crew for the weekend will provide some footage to create a demo reel for future jobs, Maurice said there was an even bigger reward.
Inside the control room at the 2024 National Para Hockey championships.
“Something that stuck with me the most was realizing the impact we were making,” she said. “We weren’t just broadcasting para hockey, we were connecting families, showcasing spectacular individuals – both athletes and coaches alike – and we were making a difference.”
She said the impact the crew had on people was unexpected.
“Our commentators – who were excellent – were at one point giving a shoutout to the referee’s wife and daughter (who were) watching at home. Something so easy for us to do, but it probably made their day. At another point, a mother and her son who played for Team Manitoba approached me after seeing me on camera. He was so excited to ask me all of these questions about broadcasting as he was very interested. I just couldn’t believe that I was lucky enough to have the knowledge and experience to give that to someone.”
It’s that experience that Dutch VandenBerg, the Program Coordinator for the BRTF program, wants all of his students to have.
VandenBerg tries to impress upon his students that broadcasting extends beyond operating a camera or directing a production. The impact of being able to deliver a broadcast via livestream to people who would otherwise miss out is immeasurable.
“I always tell them, it doesn’t matter if one person’s watching or 10,000 people are watching it,” he said. “If there’s one person at home that gets to see their son or daughter, neighbour or niece play because they couldn’t make the trip, our work is worth it.”
Tim Dool, Chair of the National Para Hockey Championships, said the “exceptional” live-streaming of the tournament by BRTF students was a highlight of the championships. A total of 18 games were live-streamed across Canada, including to the playing provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario.
“The para hockey players appreciated how well the games were filmed and announced back to their friends, family and communities so they all could share in their amazing achievement of playing in the Nationals,” Dool said. “The organizing committee’s main goal was to raise the profile and participating for para hockey in Niagara, and with Niagara College’s live-streaming and the championship’s promotion of para hockey, we are hopeful that more youngsters with and without disabilities will try para hockey as a good option for their athletic fun and development.”
VandenBerg said he’d love to have his students be involved with more para sports in the future and fortunately, Niagara has several accessible venues that make it an attractive place for para sporting events, including the Vale Health and Wellness Centre and Canada Games Park in Thorold.
