Under the bright stadium lights and the roar of the crowd, high school sports in Darien are a breeding ground for passion, determination, and community spirit. But for those who can’t make it to the stands, one organization is stepping up to ensure that no one misses a moment of the action. Through innovative broadcasting, DAF Media brings the thrill of high school sports directly to the homes and devices of fans, allowing everyone to cheer on DHS sports, whether they are miles away or just around the corner.
Through YouTube, the DAF Media channel live-streams everything from football games to swimming meets to music recitals to local events to lacrosse games to track and field. The nonprofit organization has over one hundred student volunteers, who all sign up for various events.
There are multiple jobs students partake in during the live-streams. Students can work a camera, create and broadcast graphics, control the instant replay, change which cameras are being shown on the broadcast (directing), and of course two or three students announce the game as it happens.
Neev Sahgal and Lucas Balenzano are two DHS juniors who have done multiple broadcasts with DAF Media in the past few years.
“Since freshman year, I’ve done pretty much every job during a broadcast, but I love announcing the most. The environment is really professional, and calling the games, no matter what the sport is, they’re always a blast,” Sahgal said.
“I love watching the games back on YouTube after, it’s so cool being able to talk about my friends in that setting,” Balenzano said. “I’m so grateful that I have access to DAF Media, not only to broadcast games, but to do it alongside my friends is so cool.”
DAF Media has been mightily successful throughout the years, with a number of streams reaching over ten thousand total views, and racking up over 6.3 thousand subscribers on YouTube.
While DAF Media isn’t run through Darien High School itself, it is a great way to interact with other students, through broadcasts and through the field. Most of all, it is a great way to support the Darien community.
DHS juniors Grace Palomo and Catherine VanDerzee participated in their first DAF Media broadcast on September 9th, a field hockey game between Darien and Fairfield Ludlowe.
“I really enjoyed my experience…I used to play field hockey myself, so it’s really nice to be able to use my knowledge of the sport. It’s a great way to support our community,” Palomo said.
“Coming in as a new kid last year, not really knowing anybody, I think [DAF Media] is a great program to join to get to know other people,” VanDerzee said.
For Mr. Damian Andrew, the head adviser of the program, he loves what DAF Media has been able to do.
“I started [DAF] in the summer of 2017, and the biggest challenge was establishing an identity. We started with one camera and a laptop, but we’ve really grown. I’m most proud of the fact we’ve had an impact on students and that we stoked to flames of what they’re passionate about,” Andrew said.
A two-time Emmy Award winning broadcaster himself, Andrew loves bringing his experience to the students.
“Twenty four years I spent as a TV news sports anchor; I think I bring interpersonal skills and a fairly large knowledge of the business, but the students continue to teach me things, too,” Andrew added.
DAF Media has also received widespread support from local businesses and organizations as well, including The Darien Athletic Foundation and The Darien Foundation.
The organization completes over one hundred events a year, and as more students continue to get involved, DAF Media will be a staple for Darien sports, arts, and the community for years to come.
