By Craig Westcott
If you are still uncomfortable going to the rink because of Covid, but pining to see a game of hockey, Nathan Edwards has a solution.
The first-year journalism student at the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) is broadcasting the playoffs of the St. John's Junior Hockey League live on YouTube.
The 18-year-old O'Donel High graduate is particularly interested in showcasing the games of his favourite Mount Pearl Blades, who dominated their first round series against the Paradise Warriors last week, winning three games to zero and earning a berth in the next round.
Edwards usually works the camera for the broadcasts and has a guest call the plays, though there are times when he also handles the mic.
"It's an interest of mine," Edwards says of journalism. "I enjoy covering things, I enjoy reporting on the news, especially sports, and having a role in covering things."
Edwards says he pays attention to the news to keep abreast of current events, but that sports has been a passion for years.
"I follow everything, I umpire baseball, I do everything I can to make it to most (hockey) games," Edwards says.
To cover the junior hockey playoffs, Edwards borrowed a camera from the journalism department at CNA and asked the captain of the Blades, Jack Keough, if he could help make contact with the league for permission to broadcast the contests.
"He talked to his coaches and they said yes," says Edwards.
The games are useful for parents and friends and other fans who are living away or out of town and who can't get to a game, as well for grandparents and others who might be nervous about attending gatherings again just yet.
Edwards broadcast his first game last Friday, which was actually a high school hockey match at the Paradise Double Ice Complex between Mount Pearl Senior High and O'Donel High.
"Our school won 5-1," says Edwards, who admits his bias up front. "It was their first game back from Covid."
Edwards puts in a lot of preparation time even before the puck drops. He started making graphics for the broadcasts back in December, which took about a month to get to his liking. He also studies rosters and game sheets in addition to tending to the technical matters that must be prepared and checked prior to broadcasting.
Edwards started calling games on Rogers Television in 2019 while he was still in high school, doing play by play for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment High School Hockey Tournament, otherwise known as the Beaumont Hamel Centennial Cup.
"The first game I called was between Holy Heart and St. Kevin's," he remembers.
The next one was between Holy Heart and the MPSH Huskies.
Edwards particularly enjoys the rivalry between the O'Donel Patriots and the Huskies. "It's a fierce one for sure," he admits, laughing.
But Edwards says the Blades, which is essentially a combination of former O'Donel and Mount Pearl Senior High players, always gels when the guys move on to junior. "They get along for sure," Edwards says.
The first game of the junior playoffs between Mount Pearl and Paradise had an average of 62 viewers watching the action at any one time. Afterwards, the game was played back over 600 times by people who wanted to see the game, or at least some of the highlights. Those are pretty good numbers given the number of fans actually in the Glacier for the first game stood at 75 or so.
"There is a demand for it," Edwards says of the broadcasts.
Some arenas are better than others for broadcasting in, he adds. D.F. Barnes Arena is becoming a better venue, while the CBS Arena, the Glacier and the Paradise Double Ice Complex are the best spots because of the facilities and amenities they offer for broadcasting.
Broadcasting the games takes a lot of time, but Edwards says it helps his studies as it gives him practice operating a camera and using specialized software.
His feeling for the Blades aside, Edwards reckons the teams to watch this year are Bay Roberts, who finished the regular season in first place and are exciting to watch, along with Mount Pearl, and the CBR Renegades, who are the league's defending champions.
"Overall, it's a competitive league," Edwards says.
But he won't predict which teams will be in the final.
"I don't like jinxing people," he says. "I'm obviously a Mount Pearl guy and a Mount Pearl fan, but I like to help anybody out and get them to broadcast."
In addition to following high school and junior hockey, Edwards has a podcast called the NE Sports Podcast, in which he discusses local sports and interviews athletes. He also live tweets some Growlers games.
It's all good experience for journalism, he allows. "That's why I'm at it," says Edwards.
You can catch Edwards' junior hockey broadcasts by logging onto YouTube and typing nesports into the search bar.
