"The Life" is a series surveying College Sports Communicators members for their thoughts on topics and issues in the athletic communications industry, plus personal insights into not-so-serious issues, too.
For the past 12-plus years,
Brandon Hensley has been at his alma mater, the University of the Cumberlands, an NAIA institution located in Williamsburg, Kentucky. As Director of Athletic Video Operations, he oversees livestreaming, sports radio hosting duties and is the play-by-play announcer for numerous Patriot sports. A multi-award winner of NAIA digital and video honors, Hensley is a frequent continuing education presenter on live streaming and video for CSC and the NAIA. He also spent two years serving on the NAIA Branding Committee, where he started the weekly editions of the NAIA Top Plays.
As Big West Conference Assistant Commissioner – Communications,
Jessica Lantz leads the creation and execution of the overall strategic communications plan for all 19 Big West sports. In August 2021, Lantz came to the NCAA Division I Big West (located in Irvine, California) after serving as Director of Communications at the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the nation’s most successful NCAA Division II athletics conference. Her prior experiences include working at the University of San Francisco (starting as assistant director of communications before being elevated to director of content and digital strategy). Lantz also worked at the Northern California Golf Association, Oklahoma State University (her alma mater) and Oklahoma City University.
Peyton Thibault serves as one of two graduate assistants at East Texas Baptist, a NCAA Division III school in Marshall, Texas, and helps oversees livestreaming, broadcasting/video production, graphic design and student assistant supervision. He is the main sports contact for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country/track and field, men’s basketball and bass fishing. Currently pursuing a master’s in strategic communication from ETBU. He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Olivet Nazarene (May 2021) where he was an undergraduate student assistant in the SID office and a resident assistant.
What behavior or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?
Hensley: My humor and wit have been a big part of my career. Comedy helps open up communication and lessens tension, in my opinion. It's true that not all situations call for it, but when it's an appropriate time, I've noticed that it works as a bond. Sharing laughter with colleagues can really help the team morale. When your team is good, the product follows.
Lantz: If I have to narrow it down to one, I'll go with resilience. Like many, I've had my fair share of personal and professional struggles and career changes. Being resilient, open and adaptable to new and different things has always gotten me through.
Thibault: Being adaptable. I love when a problem comes up because it makes you think outside the box and find a solution you may have never considered. Almost every day something comes up where some level of adaptability is needed to get to the solution.
We are at the second cross-over season (winter-spring sports) and there are four-plus months left to the athletic year. What is your best advice to your fellow CSC members as we face the crossover and make the final push this spring?
Hensley: When it comes to content, you have to prioritize. What needs to get done first? What can wait? What's coming up? Of course we all want to get things out in a timely manner, but remember that you're the boss and they'll respect your timeline. It's impossible to cover everything like you want to be able to cover, you just can't. Talk to your coaches. Ask for small assistance in certain areas. It reiterates that there are a lot of roles in gameday operations.
Lantz: Find a hobby or destress activity, however big or small! Mine currently are reading, crafts, patio gardening and Legos. Even stealing a few minutes here and there is a huge help to my stress levels, particularly during crossover. As a communicator in a conference office, the post-crossover spring is always so busy and exciting with a large number of championships. Then before you know it, the school year is over.
Thibault: This feels weird to answer as someone who is in my second year in the industry, but the thing that gets me through is gratitude. There is a quote that says your reality is someone else's dream. I think as SIDs it's easy to get caught up in getting the next thing done and making sure everything is perfect, but you have to force yourself to take a minute and breath to recognize that what we do is super cool. There are so people who would love to work in sports. Be grateful that we have the ability to make people feel seen and special whether that is putting them on a graphic, having them on a podcast, or writing a feature story. We have the opportunity to be a blessing and what is more fulfilling than seeing people light up over something you made for them.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hensley: Hopefully still doing what I'm doing, but with a bigger department. By that, I mean, adding two more employees on the video side of things. If we were able to go in that direction, we would be able to grow our product at University of the Cumberlands into something even more special than what it is today.
Lantz: I've always had challenges looking into a future crystal ball trying to stay grateful and present for each day I'm in. But, I always hope for peace and joy in the future! Professionally, still looking to be growing and learning wherever I am, in a place with nice weather.
Thibault: In five years I would like to be a director of creative media or video production. I have taken a lot of content creation responsibility this year and have fallen in love with it. There is something about being able to take a story and retell it to the world in a creative way that is so satisfying to me. If I'm not in content creation, working in fan engagement would be a blast too.
If you could get rid of one technological item, what would it be?
Hensley: As much as I enjoy it, TikTok. It makes swiping to the next useless video so easy... but fun. I'm a video guy that's stubborn in my ways. We cannot let vertical videos take over. Yes, they have a purpose, but from a professional standpoint they cannot become the norm.
Lantz: Linear television — cord-cutters, FTW!
Thibault: I would get rid of lava lamps. I don't know if it would be considered a technological item but it takes too long for them to start doing the cool lava stuff and having a lamp that gets that hot full of a bunch of chemicals never seemed like a good idea to me.
Here are the two things about myself that I’d like others to know about …
Hensley: That my wife and kids mean more to me than anything. Before I had family, I was all about work. Now I have something that balances out my life. I'm more successful and productive because of it. And, I absolutely love the University of the Cumberlands. The logo means the world to me. People ask me all of the time, "who's your favorite college team?" My response will always be University of the Cumberlands. I realize they're talking about big D1 programs, but small NAIA Cumberlands is my number one. I've made a career here. It's a place where I started something special and I want to continue to make our product the best that it can be.
Lantz: If you know me, you already know this … but I am a crazy and devoted Oklahoma State alumna and fan — Loyal and True for life! Also, I will always be a strong advocate for women. Women working in this industry, women competing in their chosen sport at every level, and women around the world that keep this thing spinning every day.
Thibault: My last name is pronounced “Tee-bo” even though it is spelled Thibault. (My grandma says I could be distantly related to Tim Tebow, but I'm not sure). And, I am always open to being critiqued so if you follow me on social media and see something I can improve on please message me about it! Twitter @peyton_thibault, Instagram @peyton.thibault.
Would you ever consider being a reality show contestant? if yes, what show or genre; if no, why no?
Hensley: I've always wanted to be a gameshow host. Just off the top of my head, shows like The Price Is Right, Kids Say the Darndest Things, or Family Feud. I have confidence that I could do any of these. Also, being a writer for a sitcom or SNL. I'm pretty sure that I could do those jobs well.
Lantz: Yes! Amazing Race is at the top of my list. If anyone is looking for a potty-mouthed, energetic, currently out-of-shape, ultra-competitive partner to create a CSC TAR dream team, let me know!
Thibault: I would love to be on The Amazing Race. You get to do all sorts of crazy stuff all over the world and it's paid for by the TV company! Sign me up.
What was your favorite subject in high school? In college?
Hensley: In high school, I loved drama club. I was fortunate to act in a handful of productions. Now that I'm older, I like science. I wish that I would have understood it better in school. College: I took a radio class. I got graded for being on radio! Easily the most enjoyable class in my decade of college.
Lantz: Choir (high school) and wine tasting (Oklahoma State) for the electives! Physics (high school) and genetics (college) would probably be my core course favorites.
Thibault: In high school it was American History, and in college it was new and emerging marketing technologies.
If you could join any past or current music group which would you want to join, and why?
Hensley: Past: Pearl Jam (Ten was the greatest debut album of the grunge era), Bone Thugs 'N' Harmony (Its rap and melody mixed that no one has ever duplicated). Current: Great Van Fleet (amazing sound that the world is finally Is appreciating.
Lantz: I'm a big Broadway fan, so I would definitely join a show cast, if that counts as a music group.
Thibault: I would join the BeeGees because I want to be in the Stayin Alive music video. There is no way my voice would sound good with the rest of them but that music video looks like it was a blast to be in!
Do you love or hate rollercoasters?
Hensley: LOVE… here’s why. My wife and I went to Dollywood on our honeymoon (hit me up for more tips on romance!). We were front seat in the Wild Eagle. It's an excellent rollercoaster, but what made it special, was that it became our rollercoaster that day. So it's very dear to my heart because of that reason.
Lantz: I really hate the clack-clack-clack going up the first hill, as I have a wild imagination that the track below me is broken. But by the end, I like them (just nowhere near as much as my roller coaster enthusiast colleague Kaiber Takamiya, the Big West’s assistant director of strategic communications).
Thibault: Love rollercoasters! I am from Ohio so I got spoiled with Cedar Point and Kings Island a few hours away. I lived in Virginia Beach for a little too, with Busch Gardens closy by. If I could live next to a rollercoaster park I would in a heartbeat.
What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten?
Hensley: Hot dogs. I love them. I mean LOVE. However, I've been told that you should never meet your heroes or Google "what's in a hot dog/what are hot dogs made of". I don't want to know. Please, please, no one ruin it for me. I'm pretty sure that whatever it is, is very unusual.
Lantz: Probably something eaten on my trip to China. Most things, beyond the large quantities of white rice and watermelon I consumed while there, I'd consider "unusual."
Thibault: A lollipop that had a scorpion in it.