Over 400 high school students and educators attended the fourth annual High School Sports Media Conference hosted by the Ouachita Sports Digital Network (OSDN) at Ouachita Baptist University on Nov. 12, where participants from about 35 schools took part in free sessions led by professionals in areas like broadcast production, sports photography, podcasting and journalism. The event featured panels with industry experts and OSDN alumni, aimed at giving attendees practical insights they can bring back to their own media programs and showcasing Ouachita’s communications opportunities, with organizers hoping the record turnout reflects growing interest in sports media careers.

 

“Put me in, coach” highlights how Leveling the Playing Field (LPF), a nonprofit that collects and redistributes donated sports gear to help students access youth athletics, is expanding its impact by encouraging local community members to donate new or gently used equipment; the piece notes that Kent Island High School senior Joseph Huber helped set up the first LPF donation bin at his school to support teams with limited funding and boost participation opportunities for athletes who might otherwise be sidelined due to cost barriers.