A prep football media day?

New Timpanogos High head football coach Ed Larson is my new favorite coach. Not because he fixed me a hot dog with ketchup and mustard and brought me a Diet Coke on Monday afternoon, but because of how he’s approaching his dealings with the media. Larson had media day on the T-Wolves football field on Monday where any and all reporters were invited to interview players, take any photos they needed, and get any information from Larson that they might need. There was even a media guide of sorts ready for reporters. This is unheard of in my days of covering high school sports. But I love it, and it’s a great idea. Normally coaches handle calls from many media outlets seeking photos and interviews, and normally those matters are dealt with prior to or after a practice or workout. Why not handle it all separately at one time and get it out of the way, like colleges do? Makes sense to me. The final week in July and first week in August are the busiest of the year for us prep reporters as we go from practice to practice getting photos and information. There’s another reason why Larson’s media day is a smart move. Parents want information about their kids and their teams out there. The more coaches do to promote their players, the happier parents are. Every coach wants happy parents. And those parents who like to find the best place for their kid to play are more likely to pick a school where they’re going to get more publicity. Larson is hoping to convince Region 7′s coaches to have a region media day next year, where all that preseason business is taken care of in one shot. I, for one, surely hope the other coaches go for it. At the very least, I hope other teams start having their own media day. Especially if they serve freshly grilled hot dogs.