Palos Verdes Dad Films Football Games From Homemade Tower

Behind every high school football game are dozens of volunteers doing the invisible work that makes Friday nights possible.

Bennett Rogers took on one of the most trusted jobs this season at Palos Verdes High School. He films entire games from the end zone using a camera mounted on a tripod so tall it could double as a flagpole.

His son coaches for the team, which gave Rogers the perfect reason to volunteer. But after sitting through multiple four-quarter games, he's learned the real secret to successful sports videography has nothing to do with the camera.

"That's the key for my age," Rogers said about his most important piece of equipment: a portable, comfortable chair that lasts all night.

Rogers represents just one role in an army of parent volunteers who show up week after week. Others work snack bars, collect tickets, provide security, clean floors, haul equipment, and track statistics for teams that couldn't function without them.

The cameraman position carries special responsibility. Coaches rely on game footage to analyze plays, teach fundamentals, and prepare for upcoming opponents. Missing even a few minutes of action can mean lost teaching opportunities for an entire team.

Sunny's Take

What makes Rogers and volunteers like him special isn't technical skill or football expertise. It's showing up consistently when nobody's watching, sitting in an uncomfortable end zone for hours, just to support young athletes and help their own kids succeed.

These parents don't get newspaper headlines or recognition at halftime. They miss watching plays unfold because they're focused on keeping the camera steady or counting out change at the snack bar.

But high school sports would crumble without them. Every team depends on parents willing to trade their Friday nights for folding chairs and long tripods, turning what could be thankless work into acts of quiet dedication.

Rogers will be back in his end zone chair next Friday night, camera pointed at the field, doing his small part to help a team full of teenagers chase their dreams.