From his perch above the rowdy crowd, Flagstaff High School sophomore Brady Pond spoke into a microphone. He provided play-by-play of the action during Tuesday night's basketball game.

Placed even higher in the second tier of the stands at Coconino High School, Brady's media partner, freshman Brett Landrith, captured the action with the camera. The two students, along with Principal Tony Cullen, produced a livestream video of the battle between the FHS and Coconino High School boys basketball teams.

Cullen said he is excited about FHS's livestreaming capabilities and the new web page it is on.

"There are thousands and thousands of alumni around the United States," Cullen said.

For Cullen, the website offers one way for these alumni to keep in touch with what is happening at FHS. Cullen said he is hoping the livestreamed events and other features on the web page will allow alumni to reconnect.

Initially, Cullen, a self-proclaimed "techno-geek," was just looking for a way to livestream events.

"I was looking for a way to do live Internet streaming but it was way too expensive," Cullen said.

A SITE FOR ALUMNI

Then he found the website Skalooza.com, which is based in Utah and provides Internet access for high schools and their alumni. In addition to livestreaming of events, members can see online copies of yearbooks, upload and see photos, listen to music from different time periods and write memorials for alumni.

Cullen said he thinks it will be handy for reunions. He has been busy taking photos of the old trophies dating back to the 1920s, and he has plans to digitize FHS's film of the 1975 state basketball championship game.

Currently, livestreaming events will be the main draw. FHS started livestreaming games in December.

"I heard about it on the school announcements. I thought it would be fun," said Brady, the play-by-play announcer.

He has a friend who does it for the Northern Arizona University games.

"It takes a lot of preparation. You need to be able to talk quickly, so you need to know everybody's names," Brady said.

He practices by watching other games and inserting FHS players' names instead. Although he would like to continue doing it, he said he isn't sure he wants to do this as a career.

"The guy I know does it once a week, every week," Brady said. "I think of it as a hobby."

He is thinking he might want to be a prosecuting attorney. He loves sports -- he plays football in the fall -- and loves to talk.

"Ask anybody. They'll tell you I love talking," Brady said.

Brett Landrith, the camera operator, started a couple of games ago. He is a freshman at FHS.

INITIAL FEE WAIVED

Right now, because FHS is one of the initial high school groups involved, Skalooza.com is waiving the fee. Cullen wants to make clear that no funds will come from academics or athletics. Eventually, site maintenance fees will come from funds raised through purchases on Amazon.com made through the site or through sponsoring a livestreaming event.

Beyond alumni, relatives can watch sports or eventually, music events. Cullen has encouraged basketball players to tell grandparents to watch the game.

"Relatives in Minnesota can watch the concerts," Cullen said.

More than 600 alumni have registered on the site but Cullen is hoping for more.

"It's going to grow," Cullen said. "How do I get people to know about it?"

Cecile LeBlanc can be reached at 556-2261 or cleblanc@azdailysun.com.