11. Media Training
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MEDIA TRAINING
COLSEN
Despite that ridiculous no fraternization clause in the cheerleaders’ contracts, there are going to be some events that will require the Cove Knights and the Shooting Stars’ joint participation.
That’s what Carole Sawyer is currently explaining to us.
I’m relieved that this time the reason we’re all in the auditorium isn’t a disciplinary problem.
“Many NHL teams are heavily involved with their communities,” Carole says, showing a photo of the Hartford Heroes during a Christmas toys charity run on the big screen behind her.
“And our efforts to bring an expansion team to Star Cove will have a better chance of being successful if we could show that the Cove Knights are already ambassadors of the kind of community outreach that the Hockey League Commission loves to see. Of course, that will include the Shooting Stars. They’re going to be a vital part of the new team’s brand, and this year it’s their practice run, so to speak. ”
Another series of photos appears behind the cheerleading team director.
This time it’s a very well known NFL cheerleading team doing a blood drive at one of their local hospitals.
Some of the football players are in the photos too; in some shots the players are donating blood themselves, while in other ones, they’re encouraging other donors.
Several of the shots have players and cheerleaders posing with fans and with some of the hospital patients who have received blood as a lifesaving measure.
“For these types of events to have the desired impact,” Carole continues.
“It’s essential that every player and every dancer in the room carefully curate their online presence and each interaction they have with fans on social media.
We know that since the reality show began airing, many of you have seen your number of followers growing exponentially.
And a lot of you have gotten their profiles verified with that blue tick next to your username.
Even though most of you use your personal profiles, we would encourage you to look at your online presence in a different way.
The first step is to be aware of the type of content you share.
That now won’t just affect your own image but how both our teams are perceived. ”
Carole shows another series of photos. “Let’s take a look at a few examples.
Here are two photos of the Cove Knights interacting with fans while out in town.
One of them is a great example of what we’d encourage you to share; the other is the type of content that we would prefer not to see on your social media. ”
The first photo shows me signing the backs of two female fans’ jerseys at the event the mayor organized to celebrate our Frozen Four victory.
“This photo is wholesome,” Carole’s gaze meets mine. “Colsen looks friendly and approachable.”
Another photo appears behind Carole. This one was taken on a yacht and shows Vaughn Heston doing a body shot off a topless woman.
The only thing the woman is wearing is a teeny blue bikini bottom that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.
The woman is holding her tits together and Vaughn’s face is lowered in the valley between them to drink the liquor pooled in the space.
One of his big hands is splayed on the woman’s butt cheek.
A chorus of laughter, a few loud whistles, and hand clapping fill the room.
“That’s exactly the kind of reaction this sort of post receives.” Carole sounds displeased as she makes eye contact with many of the people in the auditorium. “And it isn’t the kind of image we want to encourage or project.”
Vaughn raises his hand.
“Yes, Heston.” It’s Coach Harrison who gives him permission to speak.
“I get what you’re trying to say,” his cocky smile makes me doubt he means it. “But that photo wasn’t taken during an official event. After we celebrated with the mayor and the whole town, we had a party on my family’s yacht. Does being on the team mean we can’t party anymore?”
Coach shakes his head. “Do you want me to take this one, Carole, or do you want to explain to this dumb ass what the point of this class is?”
“Thanks, Dan,” Carole smiles. “I’ll take this one.”
That’s probably a good thing. Carole is going to be infinitely kinder than Coach.
“If your objection to that photo being used as an example of problematic content is that it was taken during a private event,” the Cheer Director begins.
“That’s exactly why you need to be in this meeting and why we’re here today.
Every hockey player and every dancer in this room is over eighteen.
You’re all legal adults. So technically, we can’t really tell you what to post on social media.
However, when the content you post affects the image of the team, there can be consequences if what you post is deemed inappropriate or offensive. ”
Vaughn insists. “But…”
“The real issue here,” Carole interrupts him. “Isn’t if that party was public or private and what you were doing. But the fact that you shared that photo. Something like that should have been kept private. Not everything you do or think belongs on social media.”
Mack raises his hand next. “So if Heston had a personal profile that was kept strictly private, he could have shared that photo without it being a problem?”
“Yes and no,” Carole sighs. “Look, as many of you will go to play as professionals, and as the cheerleading team's popularity grows, having personal profiles with airtight privacy isn’t a bad idea and something we actively encourage you to do. But I want you to ask yourself every time you are about to post something that you know isn’t PG or that could be received in a problematic way, how private is my profile?
Even with the highest privacy settings, you can’t control other people’s actions.
You can’t guarantee that someone you trust won’t repost or share your photos.
You can’t be one hundred percent sure that a leak or a data breach won’t make private content public. ”
A few people are nodding.
I guess a lot of us hadn’t thought about this stuff, myself included. And Carole is right that at the NHL level this stuff will matter even more.
Another photo appears behind Carole.
We’ve all seen it; it’s the infamous shot of Tucker and Taryn kissing at Starstruck.
“I want you to consider something else.” Carole’s gaze travels across the room.
“What about a photo you didn’t take or post yourselves?
Like this one. When you’re out in public, or even at a private party like Vaughn's, can you guarantee that no one will film you and then share content you wouldn’t have wanted to see go public?
This meeting isn’t just about social media; it’s also about your conduct.
Keep the stuff that belongs behind closed doors truly private, and you’ll avoid yourselves and your teams a lot of problems. This is why we impose a no fraternization rule on our cheerleaders.
Because if any questionable content were ever to surface online, we would rather it not involve both the brands we’re creating. ”
This time it’s Tucker who raises his hand.
“Ma’am,” his cheeks pink as he addresses Carole.
He doesn’t look pleased that his photo with Taryn is being shown as a negative example again.
“I’m asking this in the most respectful way possible.
But if you’re so concerned about our brands, why plan events with both the hockey players and the cheerleaders?
If you don’t want us to be friends, why create occasions that could spark fraternization? ”
“That’s an excellent question.” Carole nods.
“And the answer is similar in spirit to what we just discussed. You’re becoming public figures.
You’re entering a phase of your lives and careers where notoriety means that what you do and who you do it with matters beyond your own personal sphere.
The right answer is that the relationship between players and cheerleaders should be friendly but distant.
Professional, if you will. We aren’t the only company that has a no dating clause in our contracts.
And when we say no fraternization, we want to take it even further to avoid temptation. ”
TARYN
Every time Carole, Lexi, or any of our coaches bring up the no fraternization rule, I get stressed about my situation.
Making this team should be possible for me and the visibility that would give me could open all kinds of doors for a career as a dancer.
But I know I can’t and won’t give up on what I could have with Colsen and Tucker.
This rule has already cost me my connection with Nash, even though if this was all it took for him to walk away, maybe we were doomed from the start.
Colsen thinks that once training camp is over, without the cameras and without the proximity to our coaches, flying under the radar will be a lot easier.
I hope he’s right.
Right now, though, sitting in the auditorium, I’m questioning all my choices. Making the team isn’t guaranteed. Anything could make Carole and Lexi decide that I’m not Shooting Star material.
So maybe I’m risking my relationship with my guys for nothing.
But at the same time, what if Colsen and Tucker decide that they can’t keep the status quo and keep dating me together, after all?
What if they asked me to choose? I wouldn’t know what to do.
I’m starting to have deep feelings for both of them, and just the idea of letting one of them go is too much to bear.
The unconventional nature of our relationship is only one of the things that could break us up.
What if, once they’re back on campus, surrounded by thousands of women who will shower them with attention, they realized that they could have anyone they want?
Why would they settle for sharing one woman?