Covering "closed" events

It's about that time of year again, and I think I'm going to be sent out here in a week or two.

Last summer I attended a camp for high school seniors that was open to friends and family members but off-limits to media members. I went anyway, but was eventually spotted by the host university's head coach and both yelled at and kicked out of the camp.

Now the same annual camp is around the corner. I'm considering what I should do this time around. Should I wear a disguise? Stay more in the back? I feel more determined to stick around for the whole camp this time, even though it is boring as hell.

How do you handle a situation like this? Is resorting to wearing a costume something I should be seriously considering?

 

Go as Guy Incognito.... no one will ever know

 

Is there a reason to cover it? Seriously. There has to be a news value there. If there are major prospects there, the best thing you can do is wait outside and grab them after.

I see no reason to sneak into the gym, it is unprofessional. And if this is a football camp at Division I college, the media is technically banned from these camps as I understand it.

 

try that old plastic thing with the big nose, thick glasses and mustache. it's a great disguise!

 

Agree with jfs. If they don't want you there, you won't make any friends by sneaking in. Waiting outside and talking to players or contacting coaches afterwards might be the best/only way to cover something like that.

 

Are we talking those summer camps that the big D-Is use for recruiting purposes? If so, I don't think we should be sneaking into those.

 

Why not?
What are you trying to get out of this, nutty?
Interviews with top players?
Interviews with college coaches?
Get the goods on cheating coaches?
Free grub and gear?

Unless you really need to chat up someone, have some kind of plan, want to become an sports agent or they have a really nice buffet, I don't see the point of skulking about.

 

Basically, it's expected in our market that we will have someone there, regardless of whether or not we actually are supposed to be. Like I said, I was assigned to it last year -- I didn't volunteer to go, and I really don't want to go this time. We're supposed to be there to report on who attends (lists are not made available) and on who looks good, who spends time with which coaches and other recruits, blah blah blah. I don't do any interviews there, and I can't talk to college coaches about recruits because they're not allowed to officially comment on them until after they sign national letters of intent in February.

Did I mention I hate, hate, hate covering recruiting?

 

This is unreasonable. I hate recruiting too, but this isn't the way to do it. Wait outside and talk to guys. But really, I wouldn't even try and do this story. Not everyone at these camps is a recruit of that school. It's against NCAA rules for them to be there too I think.

Go to scout or rivals, take a look who they got listed as recruits, and then start making calls. The best thing to do is get an assistant coach to give you a list and give you a heads up. I can't seem to build that relationship in my position though, so good luck.

Recruiting is so overdone and over reported, it's ridiculous.

 

Have you seen Fletch?

 

Why would you even waste your time covering this crap?

 

Covering summer camp seems even lower that covering little league, no matter who's attending or who the counselors are.