Live McCook High School action is just a click away

Normally behind the scenes, students in Bill Ramsay's TV Production and Web 2 and 3 classes at McCook High School demonstrate what goes into filming a live stream broadcast. The students have been broadcasting live streaming video of MHS athletic and music events, available on the school's website, as well as posting videos of school events on YouTube. Front from left are Kayla Hughes, Erik Eiler, Dustin Bredvick and Dawson Brunswick; back, Jacoby Messersmith, Seth Chancellor, Tyler Gray and Coy Terry. Not shown is Caleb Suda. (Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook High School home games and other school events are now just a click away.

Beginning last year, home games of Bison sports and school music concerts began being broadcast live, thanks to students in Bill Ramsay's TV Production and Web 2 and 3 classes at McCook High School. Links to the live broadcasts are found on the MHS website, at www.mccookbison.org, under the link, "Striv.TV. Previously broadcasted events, such as the 2014 commencement and highlights from 2013-14 football and basketball games, and can be found on YouTube at "McCookPublicSchools."

Ramsay estimated that about 15 to 20 high schools in Nebraska now livestream events, but the prohibitive cost of the equipment may deter some schools from jumping into it.

At McCook High School, Ramsay said it's been a work in progress, for teacher and students alike.

"We''re still learning how to do all this, but it's getting easier," he said. Last year, students learned how to use the four cameras and sound board and with help from Joel Bednar, the school district's technology director, began to navigate the final frontier of posting videos live on the Internet.

The hope is to broadcast all home games, including wrestling, swimming, cross country, tennis and track, great news for out-of-town Bison fans, relatives in the military or grandparents unable to attend.

With only nine students in Ramsay's class, the kids are getting a good workout on what it takes to broadcast live. With a four-second delay, each live stream takes at least six students, with two commentators, camera and sound board people, along with one student manning the computer. Since the broadcasts go live before the actual event, many of the videos also have an intro, or trailer, comprised of a montage of still shots and will eventually include interviews with available athletes.

In the future, the broadcasts could include local sponsors for a nominal fee, Ramsay said.

Upcoming events that will be broadcast live include girls basketball against Cozad on Tuesday and the junior high/senior high choir concert on Monday, Dec. 22.