Silence fell across the Yorba Linda High School gym at 7:25 a.m., broken only by the voice of journalist Chris Hayre reporting the scene to the camera. Behind him, the cheerleaders shake their pompoms in anticipation, lining either side of the gigantic banner that is only brought out during football games. 

There wasn’t a game, but a national broadcast. As KCAL9 reporter Chris Hayre completed his on-camera lead, the band struck up a pep tune from the bleachers, and the football players made a spirited run through the banner, giving the crew an authentic halftime moment to capture. 

On Friday, September 19th, 2025, Yorba Linda High School welcomed a KCAL9/CBS crew to showcase their football team and school spirit. Multiple groups, including cheer, song, Dance Company, band, ASB, administration, and, of course, the football team, were involved in the broadcast. 

Being broadcast on live national news was an incredible opportunity to showcase, but what looked effortless on screen was the result of hours of coordination, early morning calls, and a lot of practice.

At 6:15 a.m., students and staff were on campus well before sunrise, ready to perform. 

The marching band has been extremely consistent in their preparation, both for games and this broadcast. One of the band presidents, Lance Low (12), explains that they’ve “been preparing [and] teaching the underclassmen the pep tunes since summer.” Furthermore, the other band president, Madisen Miller (12), mentions their goal was to “[add] more through the environment, and just get the football team…in the [right] head space.” 

ASB president Cienna Olsen (12) described the mental work that goes into a live broadcast: “It’s just a lot of mental [preparation]… It’s going to be hard sometimes, you know. ASB has a lot that they have to do. So, it’s my job as well as Mr. Shen’s job to enforce that positivity…even though it is five in the morning. You still gotta show that spirit for the school.”

ASB Activity Director Mr. Shen (S) agreed the opportunity was worth the extra effort: “It’s been a little bit challenging, but it’s also been a lot of fun. When I heard about this opportunity…we definitely could not turn down a chance to be on live TV. So luckily, there are a lot of people who are working on this together.”

The YLHS Principal, Dr. Potter (S), emphasized the importance of “coordination with multiple groups.” She mentions how they had to “talk to our football coach, our cheer coach, dance, band, and then also other students just to come and participate.” She hopes the feature will boost attendance and excitement: “I’m hoping that it will really get people out and excited about our events and our games.”

Cheer and song head coach Mrs. Shube (S) said bringing groups together amplifies energy: “Anytime you have a concerted school effort where you’ve got, you know, band and dance company, football and ASB altogether, that just like levels up the energy.” 

Even with careful planning, some moments were improvised. Coach Bailey (S) shrugged off formal preparation and focused on the fun: “Well, most of all, it’s just fun… we’re just winging it here, we’re having a good time.”

For many students, seeing professionals at work was part show and part lesson. Giabella Reale (12) laughed about the early wake-up: “You lose a lot of sleep, but you make a lot of memories.” Freshman football player Logan Seib (9) added, “It’s a really cool experience. It’s really fun to see our whole school get together and be active.” Varsity player Pierre Diaz (12) admired how compact the crew’s gear was: “Something that surprised me most about the crew is how little equipment they had. They only had like a small camera and some lights in the background.” 

Cameraman Glenn Shimada advised about what it takes to work in broadcast. He shot the morning with a Panasonic S5 Mark II mounted on a gimbal and offered encouragement to anyone who wants to do the same work: “Work harder than anyone else. You have to outwork the people next to you, because there are a lot of kids who want to do this. And it has to be a passion.” He also added a practical networking tip: “Never go to an event and not meet somebody…We’re not monsters; you can approach us.”

Reporter Chris Hayre talked about the craft of interviewing and reporting: “Preparation is probably the most important part of this job,” he said, adding that good reporting pairs homework with the flexibility to follow surprising moments in an interview. On making sources comfortable, Hayre emphasized trust: “Being prepared, knowing the right questions to ask. But also making the subjects feel like…this is not an interrogation.”

Before the camera even began rolling, there was plenty of organization between the news company and the school. From administration, to ASB, to cheer, and to band, YLHS had much to prepare. Through years of experience, preparation, and coordination, the crew has evolved to its current state. Students can learn that while the broadcast itself took only a couple of minutes on television, much practice and preparation came from both the crew and the school.