Broadcast Ops Playbook

Striv Education
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Broadcast Ops Playbook helps educators start, run, and sustain student-led broadcast programs—without chaos. Each episode focuses on the operational side of student-led broadcasting, the part most programs struggle with, and few people teach. We break down how to prepare, organize, and run broadcasts in ways that are sustainable for teachers and give students real ownership. Because great student-led programs aren’t built on talent alone. They’re built on systems that work on game day.

Episodes

  1. Aug 14

    Define Ready: The Story Behind NIXA LIVE

    Jordan's program grew from 6 students running a single camera to a 65-student, three-section program covering about 165 games a year, and he's honest about what broke along the way. Nathan traces his own path from a sophomore running his school's broadcast to building Broadcast Ops with Striv Education. Together they land on the phrase that's become this season's rallying cry: Define Ready. In this episode: - How Jordan grew Nixa LIVE from a 6-student club to 65 students and 165 games a year - The "baby steps" lesson, why fast growth burns programs out and slower growth lasts - Define Ready, this season's SOP and checklist framework for a crew that isn't scrambling at kickoff - Word of the Day: SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) - Why a student leadership team changes how fast problems get caught and fixed If you're a teacher running a broadcast or digital media program and it feels like you're figuring it out on an island, Future Ready Educators is a free community built for exactly that. Join our community - https://www.futurereadyeducators.com The Broadcast Ops Playbook is a product of Striv Education. Learn more at striv.education. ⌚️Timestamps: 0:00 - Welcome to Season 2 6:09 - Jordan's Experience and Growth in Broadcasting 16:12 - Baby Steps, Growing a Program that Lasts 19:42 Building a student leadership team 22:29 - Defining Goals for the Upcoming School Year 27:10 - The Importance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) 30:04 Why We Built Broadcast Ops 31:17 - Community Engagement and Future Aspirations

    Define Ready: The Story Behind NIXA LIVE

  2. Apr 28

    Game Day Isn't the Problem

    Game day isn't the problem. Your pre-event process is. Every broadcast teacher has lived it: 30 minutes before tip-off, a student texting "where do I go?", gear that wasn't checked, scoreboard ops figuring out the software live. After the broadcast, you think, "We just need to practice more." But practice isn't the fix. Preparation is. And game-day chaos almost never starts on game day. In this episode, Taylor and Nathan walk through the four-step pre-event framework: define "ready" for each role, give call time a purpose, put a student in charge of check-in, and run a post-event debrief. Free Pre-Event Prep Template → striv.education/game-day

  3. Apr 14

    Gear Without Systems Always Disappoints

    You've been approved for the new broadcast equipment. Cameras, a switcher, and wireless transmitters. Students were excited. For about two days. Then nobody knew how to set it up, nobody knew what connected to what, and you had $5,000 of gear with the same chaos as before. Just more cables. This episode is for any teacher who has ever bought equipment that ended up sitting in a closet. IN THIS EPISODE: • Why over 60% of teachers in our community said crew communication was the single biggest game-changer (not cameras, not switchers) • The gear trap: how admin and teachers both get it wrong when they think equipment equals improvement • The 5-level broadcast progression from one camera to a full production studio • Why jumping from one camera to two is the most expensive jump you'll make • The "use it or lose it" budget problem and how it leads to premature purchases • 5 steps to start small and scale the right way KEY QUOTE: "Gear amplifies whatever you already have. If you have systems, gear makes them better. If you have chaos, gear makes the chaos more expensive." RESOURCES: • Next Level Broadcast Equipment Guide (free download): striv.education/levels • Future Ready Educators Community: futurereadyeducators.com CONNECT: • Striv Education: striv.education • Future Ready Educators Community: futurereadyeducators.com

  4. Mar 20

    Why This Was Our Least Stressful State Tournament

    44 games. 2 weeks. 100+ students. And somehow… our smoothest state tournament yet. In this episode, we break down the systems that made it possible—from pre-production planning to role-based training and real-time adjustments. If your broadcast feels chaotic, this episode will show you how to fix it.

  5. Mar 2

    Accountability Without Babysitting

    You defined the roles. Students know their jobs. But the stream drops, a camera dies, or a sponsor ad gets missed and you fix it before anyone notices. Every time you step in, you teach your students they don't need to figure it out. You will. This episode is for any teacher stuck in the rescue cycle — fixing things mid-broadcast because it's faster than letting students feel the weight of the mistake. IN THIS EPISODE: Why rescuing your students actually holds your program backThe three myths that keep teachers stuck as the operating systemHow Jordan Burns let a student sit across from a real sponsor after a missed ad spotHow Trey Perry's students ran an entire month of broadcasts without himThe 4-level escalation path: Peer → Different Role → Student Leader → Teacher (last resort)Standards vs. rules — and why "just do your best" doesn't cut itHow post-broadcast reflections create a loop of continuous improvement KEY QUOTE: "Every time you fix it, you teach students that you'll always fix it." RESOURCES: Free Accountability Escalation Chart: striv.education/accountabilityJoin Future Ready Educators: futurereadyeducators.com CONNECT: Striv Education: striv.educationYouTube: youtube.com/@striveducation NEXT EPISODE: You've got the roles. You've got the accountability system. But what about the actual gear? Episode 6 is the one you've been waiting for and there's a reason it took us five episodes to get here. Systems first. Gear second.

  6. Feb 16

    Clear Roles Beats Good Intentions

    Your students showed up. They want to help. But game day still feels like chaos because "everyone pitch in" means nobody owns anything specific. This episode is for any teacher who's ever set up the equipment, answered "what should I do?" four times, and wondered why willing students still can't run the show. IN THIS EPISODE: Why helpful students without clear roles create a different kind of chaosThe 3 beliefs that keep broadcast programs stuck in "teacher does everything" modeNathan's Freshman → JV → Varsity framework for building student roles over timeHow to identify your 3-5 core broadcast roles (with a downloadable PDF)What "good" looks like for each role — and why a role without standards is just a labelWhy assigning roles before the event (not during pregame) changes everything KEY QUOTE: "When there's no name to a task, nobody's going to own it. And when nobody owns it, either nobody does it, or you do." RESOURCES: Download the Roles PDF: striv.education/rolesBroadcast Scorecard: striv.education/broadcastingedu CONNECT: Striv Education: striv.educationFuture Ready Educators Community: futurereadyeducators.com NEXT EPISODE: You've got roles. Students know what they own. But how do you hold them accountable without turning into a babysitter? Episode 5 tackles accountability systems that don't require you standing over everyone's shoulder.

  7. Feb 2

    Things Fall Apart After Students Say Yes

    Students said yes. They showed up. But you're still doing everything yourself. This episode is about the gap between commitment and execution — why it happens, and what structure to build so students actually run the program. If your students are excited but still waiting for you to tell them what to do, this one's for you. IN THIS EPISODE: - Why buy-in doesn't automatically equal execution - The difference between students who "help" and students who "run" - Why teachers become the operating system by default - 5 steps to build roles and checklists that create independence - Why letting students fail is part of the process - What changes when the system actually works KEY QUOTE: "Buy-in gets students to the door. Systems get them to do the work." RESOURCES: - Educator Conversation with Trey Perry (McCool Junction): https://youtu.be/JdJEMcwLdIs - Atomic Habits by James Clear — "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." CONNECT: - Striv Education: striv.education - Future Ready Educators Community: futurereadyeducators.com NEXT EPISODE: You've defined roles. You've built checklists. But some students are doing the work… and some aren't. How do you hold them accountable without becoming the micromanager you were trying to avoid? That's Episode 4.

  8. Jan 19

    How to Get Students Interested (and Keep Them Showing Up)

    Students don’t stop showing up because they’re lazy. They stop showing up when the program stops meaning something. In Episode 2 of the Broadcast Ops Playbook, Taylor Siebert and Nathan “Hoosier” Ladehoff dig into one of the most common frustrations in student-led broadcast programs: Students start strong… then fade. Teachers end up chasing, covering, and carrying the load. This episode reframes the problem. It’s not motivation. It’s meaning, ownership, and culture. You’ll hear real examples from classrooms and gyms, lessons learned from veteran teachers, and insights from programs that grew because students owned their roles instead of just helping when asked. In this episode, we cover:Why students lose commitment over timeHow teachers accidentally create dependencyWhy incentives work short-term but fail long-termHow ownership and clear roles change everythingWhy culture — not guilt — makes commitment stickHow communication and team energy keep students coming back If you’re tired of begging students to care — or wondering why your program still feels fragile even when kids show up — this episode will help you reset expectations and rebuild buy-in the right way.

  9. Jan 5

    Why Student-Led Broadcast Programs Are Worth Starting

    Thinking about starting a student-led broadcast program… but hesitating? You’re not alone. In this first episode of the Broadcast Ops Playbook, we talk about why student-led broadcast programs are worth starting — and why they don’t have to mean more work, more stress, or more chaos. This episode is for teachers who: Feel stretched thin alreadyWant students to take real ownershipWorry about equipment, quality, or timeDon’t want to become the bottleneck We reframe what “student-led” actually means, explain why programs struggle without structure, and show how starting small with clear systems can make all the difference. This isn’t about having the best gear. It’s about building a program students can run. If you’ve been waiting for the “right time” to start, this episode will help you see a simpler path forward.

  • 9 Episodes

About

Broadcast Ops Playbook helps educators start, run, and sustain student-led broadcast programs—without chaos. Each episode focuses on the operational side of student-led broadcasting, the part most programs struggle with, and few people teach. We break down how to prepare, organize, and run broadcasts in ways that are sustainable for teachers and give students real ownership. Because great student-led programs aren’t built on talent alone. They’re built on systems that work on game day.

Information

  • Creator
    Striv Education
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Striv Education
  • Show Website
    Broadcast Ops Playbook