Behind The Scenes: A Look at the Seals’ Broadcast Crew

“Broadcasting sports is about character development above all else, and when we do it right, there are three levels of characters that hopefully have through lines between them. At the top level are the teams themselves. They are their own collective character entities that need to be contextualized. The level beneath is the players and coaches as people. These are the humans who play the games and are subject to emotions like us as viewers. The third and final level of character development is the players as athletes. Their stories are written during the games themselves and informed by past performance. A hero will emerge and the game’s narrative should find a way to connect that hero at the bottom level to the person at the mid-level, and the team at the top.”

The above quotation represents the all-encompassing broadcast philosophy of San Diego Seals’ play-by-play announcer Cooper Perkins.

Seals vs. Desert Dogs, March 16, 2025 – Photo credit: Alexis Goeller

Perkins, along with color commentator Nick Ossello and floor reporter Hayley Elwood, are the public faces and voices of NLL storytelling during Seals’ home games at Pechanga Arena. This trio of professional orators each contributes unique backgrounds and experiences to their collective craft.

Perkins was a star field lacrosse player at Los Angeles’ Loyola High School. Upon graduating from the University of Southern California, the West Los Angeles resident spent considerable time broadcasting from both the booth and studio. In addition to his vast NLL portfolio that includes his Seals’ duties, co-hosting NLL Box Out with Maki Jenner and serving as the owner/editor of LAXMetrics, Perkins calls a variety of events for FanDuel Sports Network West, including the recently held California Interscholastic Federation State Basketball Championships.

Ossello parlayed a collegiate lacrosse career at Notre Dame into an NLL and PLL career, with the Denver native spending his NLL days suiting up for his hometown Mammoth, as well as the Seals. When not breaking down the X’s and O’s of the fastest game on two feet, Ossello works in business development for a construction management firm near Boise, Idaho.

Elwood grew up in the San Diego community of Rancho Bernardo, later matriculating at the University of California, San Diego. In addition to her NLL responsibilities with the Seals and NLL.com, the Orange County inhabitant operates as the in-arena host for the Los Angeles Lakers, and boasts a resume that features extensive work with both the Los Angeles Chargers and the NFL at large, including hosting duties for multiple Super Bowl and NFL Draft related proceedings.

After laying out the Perkins professorial thesis of broadcasting, and then describing the varied perspectives these three highly accomplished media personalities bring to the table, the question becomes, just how does the storytelling process come together?

In the lead-up to last Sunday’s 20-11 Seals victory over the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, NLL.com went behind the scenes with the San Diego broadcast crew to answer this very question. While the game televised on ESPNU may have commenced at 1:30 Pacific on Sunday afternoon, the storytelling construction began several days prior.

Monday

On-air talent and the production team, which include Perkins, Ossello and Elwood, along with game producer Jer Bates, director Zach Blaine, coordinating producer Kymberly Booth Higgs and Seals’ VP of Game Presentation & Content Mike Grace, intensify game research and the brainstorming of topics and production elements of emphasis, while beginning to coordinate methods of communication with players/coaches they may want to speak with as part of their preparation. For Elwood, this includes texts to Cam Holding and Dylan Watson.

Tuesday

Formulation efforts continue with everyone formalizing what they will present during the following day’s production meeting, while the on-air talent simultaneously maintain an evolving document of game notes. Elwood would also speak to Holding on this day.

Wednesday

The initial production meeting occurs virtually. During this exchange, a “big board” of ideas is generated, with the vast majority of the future broadcast’s topics of discussion, graphic packages, production elements, and storyline focus emanating from this collaboration. Elwood’s conversation with Watson was also part of the Wednesday workload.

Thursday/Friday/Saturday

Preparation efforts continue, with the above principals moving forward on assignments and responsibilities that may have resulted from the previous day’s call. This includes Perkins, Ossello and Elwood crafting their top of the broadcast on-camera standups, which are intended to establish the overarching narrative of the game, while representing a storyline that can be revisited throughout the four-quarter event. During this period of days, a slew of one-on-one interactions will occur between assorted members of the broadcast team.

On Thursday, Elwood’s outreach continued as she spoke to James Barclay, Jack Hannah and Casey Jackson.

Saturday serves as a significant day of player interaction for Perkins and Ossello, with the pair circulating around a nearby hotel where all of the Desert Dogs and many of the Seals stay the night prior to the matchup. When games are played on Friday and Saturday evenings, teams almost always conduct morning shootaround sessions, which deliver an additional opportunity to gather insight from players and coaches. When an afternoon tilt is on the schedule, shootarounds very rarely occur.

Sunday – Game Day (all times PDT)

11:00 a.m.

Perkins, Ossello and Elwood arrive to Pechanga Arena and immediately report to a “green room” situated near the Seals’ dressing room.

11:30 a.m.

A final Zoom production meeting transpires. The on-air talent gathers at a table alongside stage manager David Silver. The remainder of the participants attend virtually.

Throughout the course of the day, members of the media, along with team and league officials, are treated to a catered meal supplied by Jersey Mike’s.

12:30 p.m.

The broadcasters trek to their announcing positions. En route, Perkins and Ossello stop in front of a mirror to apply pancake makeup.

12:45 p.m.

Elwood arrives at her station situated between the two benches. In the 45 minutes prior to going on air, she will conduct a series of sound checks, while pre-recording her open.

Perkins and Ossello climb to their broadcast table, located at the top of the seating bowl, above the midfield line. Here is a look at their vantage point. Similar to Elwood, the duo will test out equipment and record their opening to the telecast, along with other pre-show elements.

Opening Faceoff Shortly After 1:30 p.m.

The play-by-play and color commentator assume their perch for the remainder of the game, communicating frequently with producers via an IFB (interruptible foldback), and stand during every minute of live action. This is Perkins and Ossello calling Rob Hellyer’s sixth goal of the first half. 

Elwood remains in the “best seat in the house” linking with producers regarding the sharing of information she has gathered in both the lead up and during the ongoing contest. When Elwood, Perkins and Ossello interact, the producer serves as the intermediary, setting up the back-and-forth that will take place throughout the game.

Shortly after the second quarter horn sounds, Elwood hits the field to interview the leading team’s star performer from the first half. In this case, the easy choice was Hellyer.  Elwood’s subsequent standard operating procedure involves conducting a walk and talk with the head coach of the trailing team, as the bench boss makes his way from the dressing room back behind the boards. Here is Elwood with Shawn Williams. 

Postgame

After the conclusion of the game, and Perkins’ subsequent sign-off, the gang of three congregate near the dressing rooms to reflect on their day at the office. Ossello, the longtime lacrosse world figure, is frequently interrupted by handshakes and hugs from home and visiting players alike, as the current-day athletes head towards the players’ parking and bus area.

Moving past the game that has recently wrapped, Ossello and Elwood offered the highest level of praise for Perkins.

“Cooper molded me into a broadcaster. We work really well together. He is the consummate professional,” expressed Ossello. He also recalled immediately anointing Perkins a groomsman in his future wedding after the very first night of working together.

Elwood mentioned Perkins generously meeting with her for an hour-long Zoom call upon the sideline reporter joining the Seals broadcast team.

For his part, Perkins conveys the strong bond that has developed between the three. It is quite apparent how well this triad of storytellers connects on a personal level.

As for a concluding nugget of broadcasting wisdom from the voice of the Seals, Perkins yet again seamlessly transforms into tenured professor mode.

“No broadcast is ever the same. When we do our jobs well, all three levels of character development combine in a broadcast to tell compelling stories that reflect the emotions of the collective experience.”