Chaminade Junior Broadcasts Live on ESPN

He started as a freshman with the Sports Broadcasting Team at Chaminade. Last Sunday Thomas Gamba ’26 got behind the mic at a Yankees game with ESPN on primetime television.

Thomas always wanted to be the general manager of a sports team, but his parents encouraged him to get into broadcasting. That dream became reality when he joined Chaminade's Sports Broadcasting Team, led by Mr. Patrick Reichart '01, as a freshman.
 

"When Thomas first started on the mic, those listening were asking who our new freshman was," said Mr. Reichart. "We all knew that Thomas was where he was meant to be, and his career with our team took off from there."

Thomas has since called more than 100 basketball and lacrosse games and has become a mainstay of the Chaminade athletics' live stream. But his next gig for ESPN was something he could never imagine in his wildest dreams.

After attending Bruce Beck's sports broadcasting camp this summer, Mike Quick of ESPN NY 98.7 FM saw a clip of Thomas calling one of Chaminade's games. This is how he became a finalist for the ESPN 2 KidsCast program, where three young broadcasters are chosen to call a baseball game. There is no application process for the program; students must be selected.

On Sunday, August 18, Thomas moved his mic from the press box at Gold Star Stadium to an ESPN broadcast booth as his New York team took on the Detroit Tigers for the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania. "I am so fortunate to have this opportunity," said Thomas, entering his junior year at Chaminade. "I am especially grateful that Chaminade has such a strong broadcasting program that enables me to participate in something like this."

"Seeing students bridge the gap between athletics and the arts is truly an amazing thing," said Athletic Director Mr. John Honerkamp '93. "I look forward to helping more students pursue their dreams on and off the field. That's what the Chaminade experience is all about."