Slug & Lede

The video piece from the Star Tribune, Hard Work Pays Off is a story about a kid that goes to Blaine High School in Minnesota.  His name is Jake Urton and he was born with cerebal palsy and is now helping with the football team.  Jake is considered an inspiration to the team because he works hard and constantly works hard to improve his coordination and strength.  This video was really strong because it gets to how hard he is willing to work by showing him workout.  There are also some great quotes from the coaches and Jake himself on how the coaches have helped him as well as how the coaches feel Jake has worked hard to get where he is today.  The quotes do a good job of supporting what the video is showing and seems to stay to the point. 

The one thing I think would have been better with this piece is sticking to the point of Jake’s story.  I get that it is an amazing story how he inspires the football team and how he helps out at practice.  However, I thought the piece would be a lot stronger if it just stuck to his struggles and possibly mention the football team as an achievement in his progression.  I feel like that way the story would have been shorter and left a much stronger impression on the audience.  That would be the only thing I would change.

As far as a different medium.  I don’t think much else would work.  I believe a story like this would be good in print as a personal profile type piece but it wouldn’t be as strong without the video.  I’d compare it to ESPN where there are some very good written stories but when you see it on TV on ESPN 360 or another show it is more powerful and it captures the audience.  Therefore, I do think that video is the strongest medium for this piece.