During last week’s Pendleton County Board of Education meeting, officials learned more about the Hudl sports streaming platform while hearing an athletic department update from Jacqueline Propst.
J. D. Wilkins, board president, suggested that the meeting agenda adjust to allow Propst to speak first. Nicole Hevener, superintendent, stated that “we had a question . . . what does the cost of Hudl entail.” She then added that this was “a good time to present to us an update on athletics” as well.
Hudl serves the teams, players, and those who follow Pendleton County Middle/High School athletics. For individual games or a season pass, followers of the sports teams can watch games through online streaming. Coaches record the games to use as game films and also have access to opponents’ films as well, if they use Hudl.
Coaches can share game film with their teams to watch and analyze on their own time if they wish. “It’s an important coaching tool for coaches and players to improve their game over the season,” said Propst.
Players can also create individual profiles and highlight reels that college and (in baseball) professional scouts seek out as part of evaluating talent at that level. Hudl helps athletes in smaller communities break through the larger city media filters that may overlook talent in those areas.
Additionally, the school sells advertisements for $500. Revenues from all go back into the athletic program. Originally the cost of Hudl for the school was $10,000, but that has risen to $13,000. Pendleton County Schools pays $5,000 of that while PCM/HS pays the remaining $8,000 out of its revenues and other fundraising.
The split was originally 50/50, but when the price rose, the athletic department decided to cover that instead of asking for additional funds from PCS.
Sonny O’Neil, board member, asked, “Do you think it hurts ticket sales when the games are broadcast on Hudl?” Propst stated, “I think it’s helped,” adding that people who live farther away watch the teams online, then want to come later and see them in person.
Not every high school uses Hudl. Some use the streaming service of the National Federation of State High School Sports while others post on YouTube. Propst stated that streaming and posting on You Tube cost nothing, but that the school loses ownership of the images. They can be edited and used by anyone, anywhere, for almost any reason.
“Eight of 11 teams this year went to state,” shared Propst. “That’s growth,” she said, then stated that “wrestling is thriving.”
She added that Kelson Thorne returned to the school and painted a Wildcat on the gymnasium floor and on the baseball dugout walls, as well as adding “Wildcat Baseball” to the press box. “Miss Dolly (Rexrode) has done everything possible to paint” different parts of the athletic facilities that needed some care. Pendleton Community Bank, Highlands Bank, and Burke and Herbert have donated to upgrade the scoreboards on campus and at the softball field.
“We got new bleachers. Mr. [Ron] Hudson’s class put them up for us,” Propst said. “Josh Owens performed work on moving equipment and addressing an HVAC issue. Central Tie donated a great deal of supplies to spruce up the dugout, as well.”
“You got us the paint robot,” she then mentioned, also saying that using it was “a lot of fun.” The device paints football, baseball, and softball field lines, eliminating the need for personnel to perform the tedious and time-consuming work.
O’Neil stated that “you guys do a great job with the sports program. We’re well thought of around the state.” J. P. Mowery, chief financial officer, weighed in and said that the office gets phone calls regularly stating, “We just want to call and tell you that you have great kids.”
Hevener added that when she and Kristy Tritapoe, assistant superintendent, were unloading food from a car for the “back to school breakfast,” a group of football players on their own initiative went to help them. Propst noted that the football team also volunteered their labor to help clean out athletic facility rooms for use.
