MIRAMICHI - When his former teacher offered him a chance to work at the Rotary Pond Hockey Torunament Aaron Malley jumped at the chance.
The Grade 12 student at James M. Hill took broadcast journalism in the first semester and was glad to get back behind the camera.
"I felt like it was a good opportunity for me to take."
Malley and current broadcast journalism student Ashlee Arbeau were the two who ran the cameras for broadcasts of three games shown on Aliant's website.
The students volunteered their time to broadcast the games in what was meant as a chance for soldiers in Afghanistan to watch their colleagues play.
Instead more than 12,000 people from around the world watched the games online.
Malley said he was glad to hear so many people watched the games and took what they did seriously.
"When I hear that I'm glad I put my all into it when I filmed it."
Between games the students had a chance to interview some of the soldiers from the military teams entered in the tournament.
"They wanted to give shout outs to people over there and wish them luck and safe trip home," he said.
The soldiers weren't the only visitors to the Miramichi that weekend, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on hand to drop the puck during the opening ceremonies.
Malley said they were able to get close to him as they filmed and only had a few people between them.
"It was definitely a milestone in my life being able to witness the Prime Minister speak."
The pond hockey tournament was Malley's first time covering a sports event and he said his interests are in other non-sports related things.
Malley said it was a lot of fun, but because it was a cold night he had to go warm up by the fire a few times as he covered the games.
"It was quite the challenge."
As part of the broadcast journalism class, the students saw how CBC and CTV operate, but Malley said the tournament gave him a chance to see them in action.
"Seeing how they operate in the field is a really good experience."
Jamie O'Toole is the broadcast journalism teacher and said he tries to get the students involved in real world situations, like the pond hockey tournament.
"I thought it was great. I try to involve them in career related things happening."
Students get to show their class work to the public through their website which is broadcast around the world, he said.
"Everything they do is put out there to the public."
O'Toole said the students' role was to videotape three games and the opening ceremonies using a one camera setup.
"They did a great job."
Broadcasting next year's tournament is a possibility and he said it was exciting to find out they had so many viewers.
"I think it's excellent."
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