36-year-old Ruston McDonald fulfilling dream at Gavilan College,
but for how long?
GILROY – As Ruston McDonald walked onto the Gavilan College campus to start the semester, he had only one goal in mind – to conquer his pre-calculus class. The 36-year-old student did not know their was even more in store for him than numbers and equations.
On a whim, McDonald asked if there was a television station on campus. When he found out that there was one – CMAP – he went over to check things out. This is where he met Kelly Abbot, the program director at CMAP. Abbot told McDonald about the auditions for the open commentating spot. Since he didn’t know anything about commentating and hadn’t done it before – except in his living room at home goofing around – McDonald did not know if he wanted to give it a shot.
Well, the aspiring sports caster took that shot and now he has realized a life dream that he never knew he had. McDonald was a natural – winning the position of the play-by-play commentator for the Gavilan Rams.
“I did it just goofing around. It’s completely different from just sitting in front of the TV. My first game was very overwhelming,” said McDonald, who is an earth science/meteorology major at Gavilan. “Now that I have a few games under my belt, I’m getting better and better.”
McDonald has done commentation for all the men’s and women’s basketball games and has moved on to softball and baseball.
But there is one unfortunate twist.
In order for him to continue his dream, he needs sponsors. The equipment McDonald uses is free, but he has to pay for everything else – such as blank tapes. Since McDonald will not settle for anything but the best out of his commentary, his job has become costly and soon could be obsolete.
His only sponsor – Eagle Ridge Golf Course – had to back out due to financial reasons. Any sponsor will get a 30-second commercial spot as well as banners and any other kind of advertisment they want as part of keep McDonald on the air.
McDonald – who looks up to announcers like Vince Sculli, of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ broadcast booth, Jack Buck, Bob Costas, and Chick Hern, of the Los Angeles Lakers’ broadcast booth – wants to keep on with his newfound passion.
Some day, he would even like to work for ESPN or FOX News.
“I have a passion for weather and a passion for sports, so either way I’m going to be on TV,” McDonald said. “All of this is possible because of Suzanne St. John, Ron Hannon and my family.”
If anyone is interested in sponsoring Ruston McDonald, please e-mail him at pl**********@ya***.com.
McDonald wanted to thank the following people: at CMAP – Suzane St. John, Kellt Abbot, W. Clay, Shawn, Jan; camera crew – Patrick Barnens, Mel Mactal, Mike Snyder; directors – Veldon Levrich, Seth Love; at Eagle Ridge Golf Course, Mark Gurnow, and David Tung; and at KSJO Radio – Mikey and Eddie.
