TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Students at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in the Northtowns are getting hands-on experience calling live sports on air through the school's new sports broadcasting club.
Buffalo is known as a big sports city, and students at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute are getting a chance to do something most high schoolers only dream about: call live sports on air.
I spoke with St. Joe's juniors Cam Cardinal and Leo Giancola, who are in the school's sports broadcasting club, known as "The A-Team." It gives students real, hands-on experience from behind the mic to behind the camera, broadcasting hockey and other sports games for the school.
"I love doing the broadcasting on the call, especially when it's a good game," Cardinal said. "Like, we just wrapped up the Monsignor Martin."
For Cardinal, the opportunity carries real weight.
"For me, it's more of like a dream, like a dream job," Cardinal said.
WATCH: St. Joe's 'A-Team' gives students real-world sports broadcasting experience
Giancola told me the experience is just as meaningful to him — and made better by who he gets to share it with.
"My favorite part is just being able to work with my best friend," Giancola said.
When it comes to what they enjoy most on the broadcast, both students agree.
"I think play-by-play for both of us is, like, the most fun, but doing color guy is also fun," Giancola said.
Vinnie Cristiano, a 2018 graduate of St. Joe's, serves as the school's director of all sports broadcasts.
"But every sport that happens on the campus at St. Joe's is something we broadcast, and then we'll go to the Paddock Ice Arena or Harbor Center to do our hockey games," Cristiano said.
The program's reach is significant. Cristiano said the club produces content on the NFHS Network throughout the year.
"We produce on the NFHS Network, up to 175 events every year. It averages around 150 — 160 — 100 of those are immediately available for the students to sign up and come do play-by-play, color commentary or camera work," Cristiano said. “What we typically do is we'll set up one single camera, we set up an audio mixer, two headsets and a laptop that will control the score and the time, and the students can basically run the production themselves.”
Our own 7 News veteran photographer, Lou Chilelli, shared insight on camera work with the students during a visit to the club.
"And their goal is to learn, and my goal is to teach them, and each individual role they will rotate through over the course of the year, and give them some pointers on how to do that and learn better, so that when they go to college, they're ready to do it at that level too," Cristiano said.
St. Joe’s Principal Jim Spillman says this sports program is a draw for the school.
“I think we found a spot where our guys can explore and check it out and see if it's something they want to pursue further when they get off to college and maybe as a career beyond that,” Spillman said.
The principal said he has been impressed by what he has seen from the A-Team.
"If you hear some of these guys, you say this, you know this guy's going to have a future in this for sure," Spillman said.
The students also have no shortage of inspiration. When asked about sportscasters they look up to, Cardinal pointed to a Buffalo legend.
"Well, obviously, being from Buffalo, you know, Rick Jennerette is the number one guy. You know, listening to him when I was a kid," Cardinal said.
Giancola looks at a national voice for his inspiration.
"Probably Kevin Harlan. He does basketball and football, and especially for basketball," Giancola said.
Cristiano said the club reflects something St. Joe's has long valued.
"What's neat is St. Joe's prides itself on having well-rounded students when they graduate," Cristiano said.
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