Damon Sunde has been the Voice of the Lions baseball team since 2004 and a full time member of the University Athletic Media Relation Staff for three years.
The Lion’s Roar / Elizabeth Brown
Damon Sunde
The voice of the Lions baseball team, Damon Sunde, is no stranger to the sport or the university. After his graduation in 2011, Sunde stayed in Hammond, continuing to commentate for the Lions and for three years has been a full-time member of the University Athletic Media Relations Staff. His commentating career with Southeastern began in 2004 with baseball and in 2005, sports fans began hearing his voice for basketball games as well. His other duties include being the contact for Southeastern’s baseball, football, track & field, men’s basketball and volleyball programs; he also handles the Lions’ social media campaign, coordinates the office’s internship program and the Southeastern Sports Radio Network.
The Lion’s Roar: How did you obtain the position as commentator for the Lions baseball games in 2004?
Damon Sunde: A former co-worker, Tommy Krysan, was handling radio duties here at Southeastern at the time and was looking for some help with the baseball broadcasts. I had just gotten back from a summer working minor league baseball and in the process of catching back up with one another he asked if I would be interested. It eventually turned into a role on football and basketball broadcasts as well, but those were scaled back when I joined the sports information staff full time.
TLR: What has been the toughest part of the job over the years?
DS: Some of the toughest parts of the job now are travel and balancing a need for a regular office schedule with working games. When I was calling games part-time, being away from the team for several games at a time made it difficult to keep up with the pulse of the team and how things were going.
TLR: Would you mind sharing any fond memories or stories while calling for the Lions?
DS: I don’t know that there are any particular stories that stand out. It’s all a mixture of the people you cross paths with, watching the season unfold together and being there for the highs and lows. I’ve been fortunate in that the baseball coaches I’ve worked with for 12 seasons have seen fit to make sure I was part of the team. In doing so, you become invested in what happens. You get to know the players and their families. There are several former players that listen and text during the game about something I said or about a play. It’s a great feeling to know they enjoy listening enough to stay in touch.
TLR: Do you enjoy watching baseball more than other sports?
DS: The simple answer is yes. While I like sports in general, baseball is the only one I’ll take time away from work to keep up with and watch. I love what I do for a living, but baseball is not work. A couple months of the year I get paid to enjoy the game I love. I guess the best example would be with the 2014 baseball season opening on Valentine’s Day. Instead of a Valentine card, my wife got me a Happy Opening Day card.
TLR: Why did you choose to be the voice of the Lions for this particular sport?
DS: I grew up listening to baseball games on the radio, going to bed at night listening to Astros games. The game and the medium fit each other. Football is better on TV. Baseball on the radio is grilling in the back yard, cutting the grass with a headset on, passing time on a long car ride or trying to relax and settle in for the night. There’s something almost romantic about baseball on the radio. I’m lucky to be doing what I’ve always wanted to do.
TLR: What made you want to stay at Southeastern after your graduation in 2011?
DS: When I finally earned my degree, I’d been calling games part time for eight years and working a full time job for a group of radio stations in Baton Rouge. I had the chance to get back what I’d left several years ago, to work for a team full time. Quite frankly, it is what spurred me to go back and finish college.