Over the past five seasons, there were two aspects worth noting about home girls varsity field-hockey matches at Yorktown High School.
First and foremost, there were the Patriots’ contests on the field. But simultaneously, there was a free, live YouTube-streamed broadcast of the matches.
They were arranged and technically managed by mastermind Mike Morgan — president of the Yorktown sports-boosters club — while Grant Yoder and Jeff Baskin, fathers of two of the players, did the announcing.
The streamed games developed a following, although the reaction sometimes depended if one was a fan of Yorktown or its opponents.
A family member of a Yorktown player approached the pressbox from the stands to chat with Baskin and compliment the two during a late-season match about a player’s nickname they used. On the other hand, Yoder and Baskin sometimes were criticized for being “homers” with their announcing — which they would readily admit right from the start of broadcasts.
“Some criticism was there at times, but we wanted to provide a service,” said Yoder, who did the YouTube play-by-play and stadium game announcing at the same time. “People watch around the country — grandparents, former players, etc. It’s a nice way to keep everyone connected.”
They received some positive feedback from opposing teams, as well. They were given a big compliment from the family of the Stafford High School goalie. She was repeatedly praised by Yoder and Baskin during a state playoff match this fall for her standout play and making multiple, quality saves.
The Stafford match was one of three state-tournament road games that was broadcast by the Yorktown trio.
The YouTube streamers traveled to the away sites this season and last, and set up their makeshift live broadcasts in different manners and qualities, depending on the facilities and what technology feeds and connections were available. They would set up in the bleachers near the power source coming from a pressbox.
With the daughters of Yoder and Baskin graduating in June and Morgan moving on from the production side, it’s likely the five-year YouTube broadcasts of Yorktown field hockey matches have ended, at least from that trio.
“Maybe someone else would want to take it over,” Baskin said. “It’s been a blast.”
