Kids Canes: Emma Cain Talks Tar Heel Hockey And Broadcasting

We have talked about BROADCASTERS here at Kids Canes before. There are play by play broadcasters that paint a picture of what is happening. There are color broadcasters that fill in details and fun stories. Our interviewee today, Emma Cain, is a sideline broadcaster. Her job is to bring interviews and updates from right on the ice. Emma is part of the broadcast team that covers The University of North Carolina Tar Heels Ice Hockey Team.

The Most Junior Hurricanes Reporter and I asked Emma about her job! Let’s read what she has to say, and we have added some videos of Emma talking Tar Heel Hockey with players from the sidelines!

Did we mention, she is a CANES FAN TOOOOO!!!! GOOOO CANES!!!!!!

Can you introduce our Kids Canes readers to yourself? Where are you from? What’s a fun fact about you?

My name is Emma Cain and I am a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill. I was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina and have been a Carolina Hurricanes fan my whole life.

A fun fact about me is that when I was younger, I would go to my brother’s early morning hockey games in my pajamas.

If you had to pick a goal song, what would it be? 

If I had a goal song it would be “Fire” from Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.

What is your favorite part of hockey? 

My favorite part about hockey is how team oriented the game is.  I enjoy learning about the players and their individual skills and style, and then watching that all come together to form a strong team.  I have always loved cheering on my hockey teams, whether it was my brother’s teams, UNC Hockey or the Carolina Hurricanes.  Being invested in a team builds a community that I truly enjoy being a part of.

How did you come to do the interviews between the periods at UNC Hockey games? 

I am fortunate that my Mass Communications teacher at Charles E. Jordan High School in Durham gave me the freedom to create a weekly sports recap show.  This grew my love for broadcasting and gave me the opportunity to build my portfolio before attending UNC.  Over the summer, I applied for a position with the UNC Hockey broadcasting team and was given the opportunity to do sideline reporting and help my team with social media production.

Doing the interviews between the periods at games takes the whole media team. I am blessed to work with such a hardworking and dedicated team. I work in collaboration with our videographers, photographers, analysis  team, graphics team, and social media team to produce the intermission reports. The help and support of my fellow media team members is what makes the sideline reporting successful and possible.

What is your favorite part of being a broadcaster? 

My favorite part of being a broadcaster with the UNC hockey team is helping people connect to the team and the game. Growing up watching hockey, the broadcasts made me  invested in the team and the players. Watching the players do interviews  in between periods made me feel personally connected to the game. I want to give  people that same connection to hockey. Whether you are watching the game for the first time and listening to broadcasts to understand the game or are a long time lover and want to feel connected to the players, I want to be that bridge and connection for the fans.

Do you have a broadcasting hero? If so, who? 

Growing up watching the Carolina Hurricanes Broadcast and the Hurricanes and Bally Sports South crew has been my inspiration. I am so thankful to Shane Willis and Tripp Tracy for talking with me, supporting me, and opening my eyes to the possibility of broadcasting. I am extremely grateful to Hanna Yates for her  advice, guidance, and the time that she has given me. She is someone I admire so much.  I have been so fortunate to have such an amazing and generous local broadcasting team to learn from and look up to.

What advice would you give to a young person you might want to get into broadcasting? 

My advice to anyone who wants to go into broadcasting would be to go for it, and reaching out to someone in broadcasting whom you look up to is a great place to start. For so long I looked at broadcasting as an unattainable dream, and then I had the opportunity to talk to Shane Willis, Hannah Yates, and Tripp Tracy, who inspired me and gave me the courage to pursue my dream.  Be willing to try, be willing to fail, but the most important thing is to go for it.

Do you have a game day ritual? If so, what is it? 

My game day ritual involves a lot of prep work before the game. I make sure I know what the lines are for the game, who is in goal, and I compare that information to past games. I also go to almost all the team practices to understand what the team is working on and to see how each person on the team is playing that week.

Before late night games, some of the media team members and I will stop at Sheets to get candy or chocolate before the game.

I also have to do my hair and makeup before the game, which I find really fun. I try to do something different with my hair, makeup, or outfit every time to add some pizazz and just for fun. I always make sure I have water and bring a mirror, a hair brush, a few makeup essentials and floss,  with me to the game, just in case.

WOW, WOW AND DOUBLE WOW! How cool is that!

My favorite answer Emma gave was her advice for a young fan that might want to get into broadcasting hockey. ” Be willing to try, be willing to fail, but the most important thing is to go for it.” What great advice! Be willing to try!

And can we talk about how cool it is that Emma has gotten great connections with our Carolina Hurricanes broadcasters? SOOOOO COOL!

THANK YOU EMMA FOR YOUR ADVICE AND INSIGHT INTO BROADCASTING! 

Quick Reviews This Week!

LAST WEEK’S REVIEW

We learned about AVALANCHES! 

THIS WEEK’S REVIEWS

Emma Cain, the UNC Tar Heels Sideline Reporter gave us some most excellent insight and advice on broadcasting! THANK YOU EMMA!

PREVIEW FOR NEXT WEEK

We’re are going back to the weather and talking about…..LIGHTING!