What started as a way to think outside the box, has turned into an all-access pass into the lives of student athletes at the University of Alberta.
Two years ago, Daniil Anselmi, a video editor/producer with the U of A Athletics department, created Bear Path, a mini-documentary following certain teams at the university.
This year, Anselmi focused on the Pandas basketball team as they push towards an unprecedented fourth-straight appearance at the USports National Championship.
Over a 10-day period, the documentary takes viewers beyond the hard court and into the dressing room and at one point, into the living room. Second-year Panda Brooklyn Legault invited the whole team to her family’s home in North Vancouver for a home-cooked meal. It was a chance to bond while escaping the rigours of a road trip.
The documentary has also proven to be a valuable recruiting tool. At a time when recruiting is highly competitive, it’s important for the university to go to great lengths to show the student-athlete balance and sell the school’s features.
“These videos give our coaches a chance to show what our programs are like,” said Connor Hood, with the U of A’s communications department. “It showcases the coaches, facilities, atmosphere and what it is like to be a Golden Bear or Panda.”
In addition to the Pandas basketball team, Bear Path has also focused on Golden Bears football and hockey.
The Pandas basketball team’s quest for gold continues this weekend as they host the UBC Thunderbirds in the Canada West quarter-finals.