Like a hockey player feasting on steak and pasta, Bloor West Villager Phil Perkins has a voracious appetite for sports broadcasting.
The 24-year-old had his first fill while competing on the Score’s Drafted 2 and now he’s going back to school at the College for Sports Media to ensure he is in front of the camera again in the near future.
“I thought I was really hungry to be a sports broadcaster but now I’m starving,” he said. “This is what I want to do.”
It’s amazing what a year can do, as Perkins wrote his MCAT to become a doctor before even entertaining the idea of being on television. He said he feels blessed about the decision to make this drastic change.
“It’s rare that you get a confirmation that you made the right choice,” Perkins said.
The origin of his sports obsession began when he started playing football for North Toronto Norsemen. As a running back, he won two championships with the school. Seeking a career in the industry was the touchdown drive he pursued.
“I guess I took it one step further wanting to cover sports for the rest of my life,” he said.
So he auditioned, not once but twice for each of the Drafted seasons. After making the top 10 season two, he would be the fourth person to be released after competing in challenges like teleprompter reading, street interviews and plays of the week voiceovers.
Still he rues not, as he has spoken with one of Drafted’s judges, Greg Sansone. And Perkins said he will return to sportscasting.
“I was basically told by one of the big three sports networks that I have what it takes, I have the potential and that feels good,” he said. “If anything they’ve made me a better broadcaster just for letting me go.
“I’m focusing on my craft, doing it full time and I have great teachers and students to challenge me.”
As for Toronto taking the mantle to a possible Drafted 3, Perkins shot from the hip.
“What can I say, we had more contestants than any other city or province,” he said. “I think the chances are great because maybe we’re a little fed up.
“So maybe we’ll come in next year with a chip on our shoulders and someone will step up their game,” he added. “We’ve got to prove ourselves because these small-town people are definitely making the move.”