Editor's Note: After a highly decorated prep career at St. Pius X in Albuquerque, NM, Megan played for the Rainbow Wahine at the University of Hawaii. Aside from breaking the career 3-point record at Hawaii she earned Academic All-Western Athletic Conference honors as well as Hawaii's Scholar-Athlete Award.
From the Court to the Camera
By Megan Tinnin
Twitter: megantinnin
Instagram: mtinnin10
Live in 3… 2… 1… After my collegiate career in basketball, I was given an opportunity to get in front of the camera and talk about the sport I love. The local sports channel in Hawaii asked me to join their broadcasting crew to give insight on my former team. Let me tell you, playing the game and commentating on it are worlds apart. My first year as a pre-game, half-time, and post-game analyst was by far my learning year. I have never been more nervous in my life. I had many moments in my playing career when the game was on the line and I was given the ball, but that was cake compared to getting in front of the camera. I had to wear an earpiece and was given instructions while on camera. Getting used to someone talking in your ear every minute can be distracting, while looking back and forth between two cameras. I can’t tell you how many times my boss radioed in my ear, “Megan remember to look into the camera with the red light”. One of my most embarrassing moments live on camera was when I was looking into the wrong camera for about 30 seconds while chatting about my thoughts on the game. After that I made sure I practiced going back and forth between two cameras and just like when I played I got better at it. But these were new problems, ones I never had to face on the court.
You're probably wondering how I prepared for games as a player versus how I prepare for games as a commentator. Well, before games as a player I put on my uniform, looked at my scouting report, got a pre-game talk from my coach and went out and did my thing. Preparing for games as a commentator is a whole different ball game. I have to prepare to be on t.v., conduct thorough research on both teams, study former opponents in the conference, memorize statistics of individual players, and on top of all that, I’m constantly making sure there is nothing in my teeth. That would be awful! I miss the pre-researched, completed scouting reports I received from my coaches because now I have to spend a lot of time preparing them myself. But doing so has helped me understand the game and have a greater appreciation for it. But worse comes to worse, I have been told, “If you mess up on camera, no one will remember as long as you looked good”. So let's just say, that’s my goal every time, but you always look good with the confidence that comes with preparation.