Saint Ignatius
Goal
Convince top athletic talent in the Bay Area to spend their high school years at the school.
Challenge
Saint Ignatius College Prep reached out to me in the midst of COVID-19, recognizing the situation as temporary but crucial for encouraging freshmen to commit to their school to maintain competitive teams. Students typically contribute to the varsity squads for four years. Although the school has been a fixture in the community for 150 years, it faced challenges with some teams not performing as well as competitors in the league, who could entice students with the promise of almost guaranteed championships.
Process
We conducted interviews with every coach to understand how they positioned their teams and why they believed they offered a unique experience for local youth. Based on these discussions, we drafted stories that aligned with the coaches’ visions and gained their approval on the chosen direction.
The production required maintaining a distance of at least 10 feet between the students and all crew members, resulting in a minimized crew size to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread. We also utilized footage from parents and archived materials, as the pandemic had halted all current season activities, preventing us from filming practices or games.
Solution
The outcome was a collection of mini-documentaries that highlighted the narratives of coaches and players. It was vital to present the student-athletes authentically, allowing prospective freshmen to imagine themselves competing with these students in future years.