MINEOLA — For years, Thomas Gamba has been a familiar voice behind Chaminade High School athletics, providing play-by-play coverage for basketball, football, lacrosse and volleyball games.
That talent recently earned the senior national recognition when he attended the Sports Emmy Awards and received the $10,000 Jim McKay Memorial Scholarship, an honor awarded to students pursuing careers in sports broadcasting.
“It was incredible,” Gamba said. “Just seeing some of my idols there was just awesome. And for me to present two Emmys and be interviewed in front of everyone in that crowd was just an amazing moment.”
The scholarship is highly competitive, according to Gamba.
“When I spoke to some people with the selection committee, they said it was really competitive,” he said.
Patrick Reichart, head moderator of Chaminade’s sports media program, said Gamba’s broadcasting abilities were evident from the beginning.
“A freshman behind the microphone, he can be a little timid or overwhelmed,” Reichart said. “Thomas got behind the mic and started just delivering the most incredible ‘starting at guard.’ You would have thought you were in Madison Square Garden.”
Gamba said sports journalism became an unexpected path after he was cut from the school’s crew team during his freshman year.
“It’s been awesome,” he said. “I got cut from my crew team in my freshman year, and I thought it was over for me with sports. But to be able, like I said, to have an impact on fans and just to be integrated in the sports world here at Chaminade has really been awesome.”
As he prepares to leave behind his high school broadcasting career, Gamba credits his family, supporters and Catholic education for helping him reach this point.
“My family and just all my supporters. I wouldn’t be here without them, especially Chaminade,” he said. “I’m just so thankful for the infrastructure that Chaminade has put together with this sports media program.”
Gamba plans to attend Syracuse University in the fall, where he will continue pursuing a career in sports broadcasting.