Giving Voice to the Moment

The cool November air was thick with anticipation. Fluorescent lights, a trademark symbol of late night City Stadium games, illuminated the neon scene. Among the faces of anxious spectators were the Virginia League of Independent School’s top two boys soccer teams as they competed for the title of 2023 ​​Virginia Independent School Athletic Association champions. The game featured a classic Richmond rivalry: Saint Christophers versus Collegiate. A heightened sense of nervous-excitement was captured by three Collegiate students, who, instead of cheering with the rest of their classmates, found themselves behind mounds of equipment and a live stream, commentating on one of the biggest games of the fall season. Jai Spicer ’25, Cameron Jones ’25, and Charlie Cheek ’24 were the voices behind the broadcast, bringing the game to life for viewers who couldn’t attend in person. It was their voices that captured the magic of the game’s final moments. 

It was overtime. Shaan Agarwal ’25, a member of the boys soccer team, crossed a corner kick directly to Joshua Parker ’25, who headed the ball into the back of the net. The voices on the live stream instantly became muffled. “That’s it!” Spicer yelled, his voice raising above the screams of his peers. “The Cougars have done it! They are your 2023 boys soccer state champions!” As the celebration grew louder, and as a pile of disbelieving soccer players formed on the field, Charlie Cheek declared, “As much as I would love to talk about this game for hours with y’all, now is not the time. It’s a time for celebration!” The screen went black. Listening back to that moment of the broadcast, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of adrenaline and excitement. The joy Cheek, Spicer, and Jones felt for their teammates was palpable. 

Collegiate’s sports broadcasting program was established in 2022. Spearheaded by Director of Athletics Andrew Stanley and led by Sports Information Director Bill Ruhl, the program has made significant progress since its development. Ruhl arrived at Collegiate in 2022, and, as he explains it, was responsible for getting the program “off the ground and available.” Graduating from University of Miami, Florida, in 1994, Ruhl was first introduced to sports broadcasting when he worked at his college radio station and commented on games. Since then, Ruhl has worked for CBS sports and served as a football and lacrosse coach. At Collegiate, Ruhl is able to blend his previous experiences together to lead not only the broadcasting program, but also to manage all of Collegiate’s online sports media. Ruhl says that Collegiate’s broadcasting program is “still sort of in its crawling stages, mainly because it’s purely a volunteer club.” Ruhl admits that “as much as any student wants to do it, no one has the time.” Yet, despite student’s busy schedules, “We have a commitment to live stream every varsity home event regardless of sport,” states Ruhl. On game days, Ruhl checks the six different automatic cameras spread out across both Collegiate’s Main Campus and Robins Campus. He then ensures that equipment is ready for student broadcasters to pick up in the afternoon. From that moment on, the broadcasting of the game is placed solely in the student’s hands. 

“It’s really fun to be a voice of the people,” Spicer explains. For the past two years, Spicer has been commentating on both boys and girls varsity soccer games. In the spring, Spicer commentates alongside Jones and Omar Lanneau ’25, who serve as instrumental figures in the program. Spicer, Jones, and Lanneau find a special importance in generating support for girls varsity games. “I’m a big proponent of women’s sports,” Spicer says. “Making sure they are getting the same representation as the boys team is huge.” On top of ensuring equal representation for all of Collegiate’s teams, Spicer finds the program to be heavily rewarding. “It’s made me a lot more tech savvy,” he says. And, he adds, “it’s a great lesson on public speaking.” Spicer has also formed numerous connections “with a lot of people who I wouldn’t have gotten in touch with otherwise.” Whether it’s coming up with nicknames for the players or saying hello to athletes in the hallway, the impact of commentating extends beyond the livestream. 

Blake Ingold ’25 has been a member of the program since its founding

his Sophomore year, commented on the inaugural game the broadcast held,

and served as president this year. Initially commenting on basketball games, Ingold describes that his involvement has morphed into serving as a “liaison between Coach Ruhl and the students who are working the game.” His passion for sports broadcasting dates back to when he was a kid. “When I was younger,” Ingold explains, “I watched sports all the time and heard commentary from (legendary broadcaster) Jim Nantz. I thought it made the game better.” “Sometimes,” he adds, “I would turn down the volume and commentate myself.” Ingold also has a deep appreciation for Collegiate athletics; he’s been attending games since he was four years old. To Ingold, finding a way to become involved in this program was a no-brainer. 

Similar to Ruhl, Ingold finds that limited time serves as the biggest hindrance to student involvement in the program. If sports broadcasting was offered as a class, Ingold says that “it would help us be able to fill in the gaps” and cover more games. Despite his hopes for the program’s future, however, Ingold acknowledges that it’s come a long way since its founding. He is proud of the fact that family members, who a few years ago could not have watched their relatives play, now can enjoy a Collegiate game with commentary. Ingold has also found commentating to help with his public speaking skills. “Commentating forces you to have to connect with your audience and become personable,” he says.

Evan Mangin ’26, vice president of the sports broadcasting club, devotes his time to commentating on games in the fall. From both home and away varsity football games, to volleyball and field hockey games, Mangin tries to cover as many games as his schedule allows. “I love sports,” Mangin explains, “and I love supporting our school and classmates.” Mangin particularly values the lessons he’s learned about teamwork. “The team aspect — what you see on camera, what you see off camera, the preparation — is something that I think is valuable for everybody,” Mangin says.

“I would like to see this program become a part of the culture,” explains Ruhl. “I would love for it to be something that becomes identifiable with our athletic program, as something we do and do well.” The student broadcasters feel similarly. Their live streams have not only highlighted the accomplishments of their peers, but connected the expansive Collegiate network. Its impact, explains Spicer, extends to “grandparents in Tennessee who tune in to watch their grandkids play” or “alumni who graduated twenty years ago tuning in to see how the team’s doing.” Coupled with the support members of the program demonstrate to their peers and school, the sports broadcasting program finds its footing in Collegiate’s core value of community.  

Editor’s note: With every story we publish, our intention is to celebrate the experience of Collegiate. As part of that ongoing effort, we have been working with Upper School students, publishing stories in their own words. This piece is one such student narrative.