Five students on game day. All of them want to help.
Two go straight to the camera because it's the fun job. Nobody touches audio. The graphics laptop is still in the closet. And you're running around the gym answering "what should I do?" on repeat.
These aren't bad students. They're not lazy. They showed up ready to go.
But when everyone is helpful, and nobody has an assignment, you get a very specific kind of chaos.
That's what Episode 4 of the Broadcast Ops Playbook is about.
Watch Episode 4
🎧 Prefer audio? Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
The "Everyone Pitch In" Trap
Here's what happens when you tell students to pitch in without assigning roles:
Students gravitate to what's comfortable or visible. Camera? Everyone wants that. Audio? Nobody volunteers. The boring-but-critical stuff — setup, graphics prep, run sheets — doesn't get done until the teacher does it.
Everyone helps with the things they want to do. The rest falls on you.
And because the students are willing and do care, the teacher blames them.
"I should be more organized." "I just need to plan better." "Maybe I need a better spreadsheet."
But the issue isn't planning. The issue is that nobody owns anything specific.
When there's no name next to a task, nobody owns it. And when nobody owns it — either nobody does it, or you do.
Why Programs Get Stuck Here
Most teachers know roles matter. So why do so many programs still run without them?
We see three beliefs that keep programs stuck:
"I'll assign roles when students are ready." The problem is that students don't get ready by watching. They get ready by doing. Waiting for readiness creates a cycle in which nobody gets assigned because nobody has had a chance to practice.
"Titles are enough." Calling someone a camera operator isn't the same as defining what a camera operator does. A title without tasks is just a label. Students hear the title, assume they know what it means, and then stand around when reality is more complex than they expected.
"I can do it faster myself." Of course you can. You've been doing it for years. But every time you fill a gap instead of assigning it, you're training your program to depend on you. The teacher safety net has to shrink for student ownership to grow.
Nathan makes a great analogy in this episode, comparing it to the progression from freshman to JV to varsity. You don't throw a freshman into a varsity game on day one. You give them reps at the right level, build their confidence, and promote them when they've earned it. Roles work the same way.
The 3-Step Fix
Here's the framework from Episode 4. It's not complicated. It just has to be intentional.
Step 1: Identify your 3-5 core roles.
Start with the roles your program actually needs to run a broadcast. For most programs, that's: Camera, Audio, Announcer, Director, and Producer. You don't need 15 roles. You need the right ones, clearly defined.
Step 2: Define what "good" looks like for each one.
"Camera operator" isn't a role — it's a title. A real role definition looks like this: arrives 30 minutes early, checks battery and SD card, sets white balance, frames shots according to the shot list, knows the key players, and communicates with the director during the broadcast.
If you can't list every task from arrival to shutdown, neither can your students. And if they don't know what "good" looks like, they'll guess — or wait for you to tell them.
Step 3: Assign roles before the event — not during pregame.
This is the one most programs skip. Roles get figured out in the car on the way to the game or in the gym while the team is warming up. By then, you've already lost.
When roles are assigned days before the event, students have time to prepare. They can review their checklist, ask questions in advance, and show up knowing exactly what they own.
Free Resource: Broadcast Roles Worksheet
We built a free worksheet to go with this episode. It includes fill-in-the-blank role cards for Camera, Audio, Announcer, Director, and Producer — plus a starting lineup sheet you can print and post before every event.
Pick your top 3-5 roles. Fill in the responsibilities. Assign names before your next game day.
👉 Download the free roles worksheet →
What's Next: Accountability Without Babysitting
You've got roles. Students know what they own.
But what happens when a student doesn't follow through? How do you hold them accountable without becoming the micromanager you were trying to avoid?
That's Episode 5.
Why We Created the Broadcast Ops Playbook
We created the Broadcast Ops Playbook to help teachers think differently about student-led programs.
Each episode breaks down what works in real schools — and why systems and structure beat constant reminders every time.
🎧 Watch or listen to Episode 4:
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