The Athletic Department relies not only on student-athletes but also student workers to help promote and advertise events.
The FGCU Athletic Marketing team provides students with the opportunity to learn how a professional marketing team operates.
Sarah Passey, a student athletic photographer, grew up playing soccer and wanted to still be around sports once she stopped playing, she chose to try photography. After transferring to FGCU last year, she came in contact with her now boss and mentor University Photographer James Greco.
The team of photographers is responsible for covering each sport. They communicate with each other to see who can cover which game throughout the athletic season. Photographers arrive at the game early to adjust camera settings, take pictures during warm-ups and meet with the sports information director (SID).
“We also have to meet with the SID for that specific sport to discuss what type of pictures they are looking for that game to use for the final graphic or social media,” Passey said. “For example, players might break a personal record during the game or reach an important milestone. So, the SID will tell us to make sure we get a couple of good photos of the player.”
During the breaks or halftime of a game, photographers edit their photos to be used on social media where live updates are posted.
“I edit and upload my best pictures throughout the game and immediately after the game ends for social media. The night after the game, I go through and edit the rest of the photos I took and upload them to the photo-sharing platform we use,” she said.
Greco likes working with Athletics.
“Athletics is interesting,” Greco said. “It is fast-paced with the 15 teams and can be stressful during crossover season as sports end and others get going.”
He wants to see the student photographers grow in their skills.
“The students that have the most growth are the ones that take the work seriously, that take the time to really learn the camera. They learn the sport they are photographing, so they can anticipate what is going to possibly happen and be in the best possible position to capture it,” he said.
Passey hopes to continue working in sports post-graduate, hopefully photographing a professional sports team.
“The FGCU Athletics’ marketing team has encouraged and challenged me as a photographer to help not only grow myself as a photographer but the promotion of FGCU Athletics as a whole,” Passey said. “I have gained so much insight into sports marketing and can’t wait to use what I’ve learned for a career post-grad.”
