TOP 5 WAYS TO GET IRON TANK'S ATTENTION!

Maci Gian & Valeria

Iron Tank is one of the roughest & toughest teams on the Super League! They got the strength of Colossus and the spite of Invincible United. They'll throw themselves full force at their opponents, and turn their backs on anyone they deem 'too weak'. This doesn't just apply to other soccer players, but fans and journalists too.

So when you have a team as cold as the snow that surrounds their home stadium, how do you get their attention for an interview? Well, worry not! In this article, I'll be passing down some knowledge & tips that my good friend, and long time sports journalist, Valeria has shared with me!

1. GET LOUD

If there's one thing that Iron Tank has going for them--besides their brute force strength--is that they are LOUD. Their players yell, their coach yells, their fans yell, even their announcer yells, so when you're constantly surrounded by all that noise, there's a good chance your voice is going to get drowned out! How do you combat this?

BY GETTING LOUD BACK!

If you want a player's attention, get it! Earn it! Lock onto your player and yell their name from the top of your lungs. And if you don't know a player's name? Shout out one of their features! Their hair color, their facial hair, their jersey number, find something and lock onto it.

Don't just yell once either! Do it twice! Thrice! Keep going until they find the source of the noise: you!

"Even when you finally snag a player away for an interview, it's important that you stay consistently loud. In fact, you might need to raise your volume more." Valeria advised, "Iron Tank won't lower their voices for you. They'll talk over you, yell at each other mid-interview, sometimes their coach will yell at them too, so you must make sure you're maintaining control. If they get loud, get louder."

Now this isn't as easy as it sounds. In fact, out of all the steps I'm about to tell you, this is THE step that'll need the most practice. You have to make sure you have the right amount of energy stored within you, you can't risk tiring yourself out and missing an opportunity to have a one-on-one interview. You have to bring a water bottle with you and chug it as soon as you feel your throat starting to dry up! You need to practice your yelling until your echo travels for miles and miles (I recommend practicing out in a big empty area so you don't get another noise complaint from your neighbor)! But there's another important factor to this tip that'll raise the chances of you getting their attention…

2. FINDING THE PERFECT SPOT

While being loud is a fantastic attention-grabber, there's a good chance you won't be allowed out onto the field like Lena Long or Valeria, as stepping on the field is for the super big named journalists out there.

Your volume will mean nothing if you're seated in the very back of the stadium. Your voice can only go through so many fans before it gets lost in their sea of screams. So what is considered 'the perfect spot'?

There's actually multiple!

The most obvious spots are, of course, the seats at the very front. Not only do you get a fantastic view of the game, but you have a much higher chance of being within earshot of the players! However, those seats can get quite pricey.

Your next option is to find out which tunnel Iron Tank will be entering and exiting through, and get a seat there. The best time to interview players is when they're going back to their locker rooms during halftime, or once the game is over. Their pacing will be much slower, and they'll usually be close together, giving you time to holler at one--or multiple--of them and nab their attention!

The last option is to buy a seat anywhere in the stadium, then make a run to the very front before halftime or the end of the match so you can reach the players on time. Much cheaper, and you'll get some good exercise out of it!

3. BE DEMANDING

Don't say: 'Can I ask you a few questions, please?'

Or: 'Excuse me, could I speak with you for a moment?'

Not only is there a chance Iron Tank won't hear you, but there's an even better chance that they'll flat out IGNORE you! You're taking too long getting to the point & you're sounding too nice, and if there's one thing Iron Tank isn't, it's nice.

"You don't want to insult them." Valeria had told me when I was asking her for more explanation behind this tip, "What you do want to do is show assertiveness. Raise your voice, point to the player you want to interview, and say: 'I'd like a word with you'!"

Don't make your questions flowery, and don't be too vague. Make sure you--and the team--know who you want to talk to.

Remember, Iron Tank respects authority, they respect strength, and if YOU don't show that, then they have no reason to respect you.

4. BE NOTICEABLE

Journalists that are allowed on the field are given the advantage of running up to the team, getting close to their faces, and putting a microphone to their lips. Most other people, however, don't get this opportunity.

So you'll have to get physical!

Valeria recounted, "When I was finally allowed on the field, I still struggled to get their engagement. The first few times I was able to join the other journalists, interviewers, and the camera crew, I was always at the very back of the crowd. It was very hard to be heard."

"At first I'd resort to raising my microphone high in the air and waving it in the hopes they'd see me, or I'd jump up and down till my legs were numb just to see if one of their team members spotted me." She said, "Eventually I found the courage to push my through the crowd and shove my microphone right into Uber's face."

"I was so tired of being ignored or having all of Iron Tank taken away from me without ever having a chance to talk to them. I wanted my presence to be noticed, so when I charged straight towards Uber, I think he was a little impressed to see someone half his size push through so many people just to talk to him."

Jump around, wave your arms about, if you're seated closer to the field, really lean past the barriers and stick your head out (if you're feeling risky) or an arm out. Make a scene while you call their name and DON'T STOP till one of them looks your way!

Even a small glance is a huge win, because that means you were so serious about interviewing them that you were willing to cause a scene over it, which could motivate them to come back to you during half time or at the end of the match.

Make sure to lock eyes with them as well! Don't squeeze your eyes shut! The sooner you make Iron Tank aware that you want THEIR attention specifically, the sooner they'll talk to you.

This step is also tricky, not because of all the moving around you'll do, but because of all the looks you'll get from the fans, journalists, and photographers around you. Do NOT let them sway you, do NOT let them scare you. An interview with one of the strictest teams known in the Super League is far more valuable than temporary opinions.

5. HAVE FUN!

The easiest and the best rule to follow! Even though interviewing teams is already be super exciting, make sure you're having just as good of a time watching the game and rooting on your favorite team as well! Be engaged, cheer for your favorite players, and cheer whenever they score a goal! It'll make the interviews feel all the more special.

We hope this list is able to help you prepare & work up the courage to talk to Iron Tank! It isn't easy interviewing any Super League team, but as long as you practice and have faith in yourself, your bravery and spirit will shine through.

I know I'll be using all of these tips when I attend Iron Tank's do-over match with Technicali at The Hub!