High school sports coverage has pros, cons

Buckeye CableSystem’s sports network gives high school athletes in northwestern Ohio plenty of TV time, notes Toledo Blade sportswriter Steve Junga, including broadcasts of sports like girls’ volleyball.

But that exposure can be a double-edged sword, as the girls volleyball team at Toledo Central Catholic found out ahead of its tournament match today in Dayton. Though their games were televised this season, their opponent’s games haven’t been, and Central hasn’t found any video to help them prepare.

That leaves Central at a competitive disadvantage. “I wouldn’t count on them not having seen us,” Coach Melissa Belcher tells Junga. “I’d have to believe they have. BCSN is one of the best things to come from northwest Ohio, but sometimes it can be your worst enemy, come tournament time. Any school from around the state can easily access copies of matches.”

(Buckeye CableSystems is owned by Block Communications, parent company of the Blade and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.)