Ohio University student David Polster was chosen to receive a unique mentorship experience at the NASCAR Sprint Club Series Coca-Cola 600 race in late May. Polster learned invaluable broadcast tips and tricks from audio engineer Fred Aldous.
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I am eternally indebted and grateful to Mr. Fred Aldous and his extraordinarily talented crew at FOX Sports who helped to make my weekend at the Sprint Coca-Cola 600 an experience I shall never forget. I was taken aback by the tremendous amount of work and time that goes into the production of live television, a fact that is never fully taken into account by many of the viewers at home. Fred and his crew kindly and patiently answered every question I asked with great enthusiasm and sincerity. Having never been to a NASCAR event before, the entire weekend was not only a blast, but also a very beneficial learning experience.

The 'controlled chaos' that is a live sports broadcast is enough to overwhelm the most seasoned of broadcast professionals, yet Fred and his crew handled every obstacle with great precision and patience. I could not have asked for a better mentor than Fred; I find it amazing that someone with so much experience and achievement is willing to graciously donate his time to eager, up-and-coming audio students. Fred’s professionalism and extensive knowledge of the world of broadcast audio never cease to impress and those who are fortunate enough to spend time with him will quickly realize his dedication and skill.

I would easily rank my time with FOX Sports amongst the highlight of my educational career to date. The Sennheiser Mentorship Program was a great opportunity that allowed me to move beyond the textbooks and peer into the real world of live broadcast television. I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Dave Missall and Kent Margraves of Sennheiser for their assistance and guidance throughout the program and in helping to make this experience a reality.

Michael Burke, a student at the New England Institute of Art, shadowed A1 engineer Randy Flick during a live HBO Boxing event at the Foxwoods Resort Casino. Read more >>

The Sennheiser Student Mentorship Program has given me one of the most memorable weekends of my life. I assisted on many different aspects of the World Championship Boxing event. From the logistics and the mixing of the HBO Sports broadcast from inside of the truck, to the setup and breakdown of the microphones and equipment inside of the venue, I received valuable experience on all aspects of the show.

Throughout the weekend, I spent many hours learning directly from A1 Randy Flick. Being able to learn one-on-one from an audio professional that works at the highest levels provided me with the greatest learning experience I could imagine. My education has given me a strong background, but there is no substitute for learning in the field from the best in the business.

I also spent much of my time inside the MGM Grand Theater helping the A2s with the setup of the show. This was equally as valuable as my time with Randy, as I was able to work hands-on in the field. A highlight of the weekend was actually performing work that made it on air. I wired and helped many of the Sennheiser microphones used for the broadcast, personally deciding how to place and aim the two crowd microphones.

I would not trade this experience for anything, and I am especially grateful to Sennheiser and HBO Sports for providing me with this opportunity.

Jeremy Paine, a student at the New England Institute of Art, received invaluable hands-on experience from his unique experiences with A1 Randy Flick during an HBO Pay-Per-View Event. Read more >>

The mentor program through Sennheiser has provided me with irreplaceable experiences in the field of live broadcast. Through my four days in Dallas at the Cowboys Stadium, I was able to learn, interact, and assist with many different aspects involved in a live broadcast. With the event being Pay-Per-View Boxing, it demanded some extra attention to details, and a more complex network of communications between many different people. Randy Flick was an amazing teacher of his art, and after spending an entire day with him in front of his console and gear, I was able to piece together some of the complex networks of communications, signal paths, and digital systems that were the base of the entire production. Randy was excellent at explaining each component within the system, as well as providing examples of different situations that might occur during live broadcasts that require you to be on your feet constantly.

I was also able to spend time within the venue, helping the A2s with their setups. After becoming more familiar with Randy’s side of the wires, it was really helpful to see how and where each PL, IFB, and microphone was terminated. It allowed me to understand the entire picture of the production, and also some experience in how the actual devices work and operate. I was even given a lesson in the ring about the specific placement of microphones for boxing, using Sennheiser shotgun mics suspended from the truss work above the ring. There was also a great deal of wireless devices that were used for the production, and I learned how to properly use the available frequencies and airspace that the stadium had available. During the show I was thrown into the action, and helped the A2s with wiring the trainers with wireless mics before they went out to the ring.

My thanks go to Lloyd, Shep, Paul, Ken, and Shaun for their guidance and lessons in the field. I would also like to sincerely thank Randy for the invaluable weekend of learning and excitement, and also for his great appreciation of my generation of audio engineers. A thanks also goes out to Jason Cohen and HBO for allowing me the privilege of joining his team in Dallas for a great weekend of learning and experiences.

Alex Kartman, a student at Ball State University, was selected to shadow CBS A1 Phil Adler during a live broadcast of the Raiders vs. 49ers game in October. Kartman says, "I learned more than I ever would have in a classroom." Read more >>

Starting Saturday morning, I met the A1, Phil Adler, and traveled to the stadium after introductions. To begin the day Phil showed me around the compound, then the audio production room of the truck. As the A2 and submixer began stadium setup, I stayed in the truck and watched Phil set up the entire show through patching and routing sources. In the afternoon, I moved outside to help the submixer, Gordon, set up the parabolic mics. To end the day I watched from the truck as Phil ran audio for several of the prerecorded segments that would appear throughout the show.

That night I enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner while talking and learning all about Phil and Gordon's experiences as audio mixers. It is incredible to hear about how much is available to do. They had done everything from the Olympics to the Masters to the Super Bowl. I also learned that my experiences at Ball State University through the Sports Link program put me far ahead of where either of them were when they started. Very few people get a chance to be in a production truck before entering the ranks of professional broadcasts, and I already have been in a truck for the past three years at Ball State. I will take the knowledge back with me to apply to my experiences.

Game day brought about another level of intensity from every crewmember. I watched Phil mix the show from pregame all the way through the end of the half. It was incredible seeing how smoothly he mixed every individual aspect of the broadcast. All of the preproduction work made his mixing look effortless. During halftime I moved to the press box to watch Gordon submix. As the play moved toward certain areas of the field, I watched as his fingers effortlessly moved faders up and down, focusing the mix to specific mics.

The entire broadcast was a thrill to watch. The intensity and chaos that surround the production was invigorating. Hearing the director and producers simultaneously signal commands seemed confusing at first, until I deciphered their rhythms.

I thank Sennheiser greatly for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a professional broadcast. I learned how much energy and focus goes into a four-hour broadcast. I learned more than I ever would in a classroom, because I got to be on location watching it in real life with the ability to interact with professionals.

Matthew Smith, a student at the New England Institute of Art, was selected to experience the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, NC firsthand. Fred Aldous, A1 for FOX Sports, gave Matthew invaluable audio experience that will benefit him in his future career as an audio engineer. Check out Matthew's account of his day-long mentorship. Read more >>

I must first start off by saying that I am very lucky. Very few students are given the opportunity to hang out with the superstars of their industry. With the help of my professors Rick Smith and John Krivit, it was just enough to get me recognized by Sennheiser's David Missall. Little did I know, David would be about to invite me on the experience of a lifetime. I could not have anticipated the enormous amount of not only audio experience but, life experience that would follow. It has been a true honor.

Fred Aldous and I were able to go one on one and discuss the magic that happens behind his custom Calrec Alpha every week. I couldn't have asked for anything more, a personal broadcast audio lesson from a master of the craft. And Fred seemed to be just as excited as I was. Nothing beats the passion of an audio engineer. And the same can be said for the rest of the TV broadcast crew, which is incredibly refreshing. They all truly love what they do. How could anyone not want that?

During the thick of the race I got to venture to the inner and outside borders of the track. The placement of the microphones is crucial to bringing the feel of the race home to the views. Being that close to the action will make a NASCAR fan out of anyone. But, that thrill can be correlated to the thrill that comes with nearly any sports broadcast. The thrill comes from that fact that it's all happening in the present and it's your job to capture it. That's what I have quickly grown to love about live television.

Dustin Gregg, a senior at New England Institute of Art, was selected to shadow Randy Flick, senior audio for HBO Boxing and a top A1 in the sports industry, at an HBO Boxing event at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. "It was like learning about basketball from Michael Jordan," Dustin said. Find out what else Dustin had to say about his mentorship experience. Read more >>

I am very fortunate to have been a part of the Sennheiser Mentorship Program, which has served as a tremendous learning experience for me. I had the opportunity to work alongside some of the best in the business during the production of HBO's Boxing After Dark, which was broadcast from the Mohegan Sun Arena. I was exposed to information and situations that could never be conveyed in a classroom setting. Stories and explanations from class instructors are effective in their own respect, but being out in the field adds a whole new element to the learning experience.

Learning about the A1 position from Randy Flick is like learning about basketball from Michael Jordan. He was very clear and thorough in all of his explanations. If I asked Randy about a piece of gear, not only would he explain its function, but he would also give history on it, uses for it, and even reasons for its superiority over other comparable pieces of gear. Randy took the time to explain every aspect of the show in terms of audio. We went over everything from the signal flow of the show, to communications, routing, patching, and even console setup. Randy stressed that, from an A1 standpoint, one of the main goals when setting up a show is to design things to be easier on yourself for when high-pressure situations arise. He explained that quick recovery from an issue or problem is what really makes a good A1.

Michael Stevens, then a junior at Ball State University, was chosen to work in a FOX Sports mix truck with HBO Sports A1 Fred Aldous at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte, NC. Michael says: "Without this...I would be left guessing how a show like this works." Learn more about his exciting, unforgettable experience. Read more >>

This trip was by far the best experience I could have had at this point in my schooling and in my career path. This trip proved that this is the business for me. I just loved the energy, environment, camaraderie, and friendships that evolve from working in live television. I liked how everyone knew each other, and they all seemed to get along. Everyone also seemed to love what they do, and that's why working with people like that makes this so cool and something that I really look forward to in my near future. This experience also gave me an excellent perspective of what it takes to bring a full-fledged NASCAR race to millions of viewers across the world.

It was especially cool to see the kind of environments the different aspects of the broadcast are in during the race. That is what I love about live TV; the rush. The fact that racing is such a fast-paced sport makes broadcasting it that much more fun and exciting.

I loved this opportunity, and couldn't think of a better experience to have right now while deciding what I want to do for the rest of my life. Many thanks to Fred Aldous and Dave Missall for making this whole experience a reality and for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. Without this, I think that for the rest of my time in school, I would be left guessing how a show like this works, and now I have that under my belt, and I can move on to be the next best live sports production freelancer of my generation.