Virginia Tech student Colby Camardese shoots for the stars in future career, VT roller hockey
Photo: Chris Hirons
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By Chris Hirons
October 26, 2021
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Colby Camardese has always wanted to make a career out of sports. Now, as a sports media and analytics and marketing major, he’s one step closer to making his dream become a reality.
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Ever since he was young, Colby Camardese knew he wanted to be involved in sports for the rest of his life — in some way, some form, some fashion.
The third-year student mainly played ice hockey — among other recreational sports — growing up in Pittsburgh, Pa., and dreamt of playing professionally. That was until he realized that his skills wouldn’t translate to the next level.
Now, the Virginia Tech student is beginning to realize his next passions, ones that could keep him involved in the game he loves: sports writing or sports marketing. He’s a double major in sports media and analytics in Virginia Tech’s School of Communication and marketing in the Pamplin School of Business.
“I kind of chose sports media and analytics as my main major,” Camardese said. “I’d love to be able to write about sports for a living. Marketing is kind of my back up plan, so if sports writing doesn’t work out, I can work in a professional sports team’s front office.”
But before he graduates in the spring of 2023, Camardese still plays the sport he loves — it just comes with a twist.
He joined Virginia Tech’s club roller hockey team, a sport very similar to the one he grew up playing. Players, though, aren't allowed to hit each other, it can be played either indoors or out, more goals are typically scored and ice skates are replaced with roller skates.
“[The difficult change] was moving from ice skates to roller skates,” Camardese said. “It’s apparently a really big sport in places like Georgia and Florida, but we never played it growing up because we always had ice.”
Camardese said he was convinced by his freshman year roommate, a friend he knew from high school, to try out in the fall of his sophomore year.
With a successful tryout, Camardese made the team but didn’t play last year due to the pandemic. This year, though, he was promoted to the club’s secretary before the school year wrapped up in May.
Now, he and the team travel to tournaments up and down the east coast in the Southeastern Collegiate Roller Hockey League third division.
While balancing his studies as a double major, Camardese says his goal is to bring a club roller hockey national championship to Blacksburg for the first time.
“That’s the goal, that’s the dream,” Camardese said.