Rebels bolstering Friday night production

A Friday night at Thompson Reynolds Stadium, home of the Vestavia Hills High School football team, looks a little bit different these days.

Vestavia Hills has a rich history of football success, much of which is rooted in tradition and consistency.

But these days, the Rebels aren’t resting on those traditions and are pushing forward into the future while being thoughtful of the past.

The 2022 football season has brought about plenty of change at Vestavia. Robert Evans is in his first year as the head coach. A new, privately-funded video board has replaced the traditional scoreboard. And the broadcast team for the high school football games has been bolstered in a major way.

This season, Vestavia Hills put together an all-star crew of media professionals to broadcast its football games, which can be seen via YouTube, Facebook or through the NFHS Network.

Scott Griffin and Chad Pilcher handle the commentating duties, John Virciglio is a director and handles instant replay, John Rockett is a director and BJ Millican is the sideline reporter. Many of those names are familiar to people in the Birmingham area sports scene.

“When Robert [Evans] was hired, we had a lot of goals and a big vision,” Vestavia Hills athletic director Myra Miles said. “He and I see eye to eye on so many things. The broadcast was a big thing. We wanted to do something we felt like we could do better than most.

“We wanted to do something bigger and better than it’s ever been done before.”

Griffin has worked in local television and radio, spending 15 years at WJOX. Pilcher is in his 18th year calling games, whether it be high school or college. Rockett spent over 26 years in television at WBRC and ABC 33/40. Millican has worked in television and in athletics for many years as well.

Vestavia Hills has been broadcasting sporting events for several years now, with the voice of Steve Bendall bringing the Rebels to the community for 20 years.

Virciglio was a part of those broadcasts as well, doing much of the prep work that nearly always goes unnoticed. Miles gave huge credit to him for what he’s done in the past and how he is continuing to contribute to the new setup.

“It’s a really talented group of guys that our kids are being fortunate enough to be able to get some great experience with,” Miles said.

Miles emphasized that, despite the hiring of professional talent, Vestavia Hills students involved in VNN (VHHS News Network) are still part of the production. Miles gave credit to Morgan Jones for her work with VNN over the years and to Abby Jaillet, the current VNN sponsor and a first-year teacher at Vestavia Hills.

Jaillet said there are six or seven broadcast students at the games each week, assisting in a variety of ways, such as running different cameras for the broadcast.

“They’re excited to be a part of it,” she said. “More than anything, it’s reinvigorated the excitement around this program.”

They are constantly learning new things as well, such as how to use the new video board at the stadium. Miles lauded assistant AD Laura Casey for her work in getting that new piece of equipment up and running in time for the first game of the season in August.

“The students are absolutely thrilled to be a part of this,” Jaillet said.

Miles said the feedback she has gotten from the community has been great.

“Our community sees all of this and there’s so much pride right now. Our kids play hard for their coaches, for their school, but for their community, because they feel that support. I’ve had more people come up to me and say it’s a great feel,” she said.