Jonathan Gault: Family, Sports, and Passion

            

     

      Everyone has a story. Jonathan Gault’s started when he was three years old in attendance for a Brighton and Hove Albion professional soccer game in England where he lived until he was 10. Gault remembers attending Brighton and Hove Albion games on a weekly basis, where spent a great deal of time with his family and established a love for sports. While Gault was recalling the experience of spending time with his family over a sporting event, I couldn’t help to think how sports not only binds together a nation, but the world. The look in his eyes confirmed that sports live deep within us, and they provide a chance for us to connect and grow in a way that we wouldn’t be able to without them.

           Gault's rooted love and passion for sports never stopped, in fact it grew even deeper when he moved to the United States. "I spend most of my free time watching and reading about sports. I ran cross country for four years in college, most of my best friends there are from sports. It’s had a big impact on my life," said Gault. When Gault arrived on American soil it was only three months before the tragic September 11th attacks occurred. Gault immediately noticed avid patriotism within the nation. The same year Gault moved to Boston the Patriots won Superbowl XXXVI on his birthday, February 3rd. Since then Gault has remained a loyal and ecstatic Boston sports fan. His interests in sports mirror that of his father's, and sports have brought his family bond closer. "Every time we talk on the phone sports is usually the conversation and subject. We’ll talk about the Patriots, we’ll talk about England soccer and cricket, we’ll talk about Brighton, those are mainly our go-to’s when we talk on the phone," said Gault. Since he moved to the U.S., Boston has produced a decade of successful teams that have won multiple championships, from the Bruins, to the Celtics, to the Red Sox, and most notably the Patriots.

          Gault is striving to give himself the tools at Syracuse University to become a strong sports media personality."I just want to be in a position where my opinion matters in the world of sports, where it’s respected, and people are interested in what I have to say.  Hopefully that will lead me to a place where I’m covering major events," said Gault. He isn't too far off from his dream, by being accepted to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications he has taken a step closer to one day cover major events in sports. He has the background and passion, and understands what sports mean to him and other enthusiasts around the world to be successful in this field. "I hope that when I leave here I’ll be able to go somewhere and begin a long career in the sports media industry," said Gault.  

Jonathan Gault Interview




Q & A

AM: How was your move over here to the United States?

JG: It was relatively smooth. My dad is English and my mom is American, they actually met in the states when he was here for grad school. Half my family lived here and we visited every couple of years or so. I was sort of used to American culture a little bit, there was obviously some things that I had to get used to when I first moved, but overall it was pretty smooth since we had family and knew some people over here. 

AM: What is the biggest thing you had to adjust to when you moved here?

JG: Probably sports, I didn’t follow football, basketball, or baseball seriously when I was in England. It was mainly soccer and cricket.

AM: So that was the biggest difference to you was sports?

JG: For me, because I look at most things through a sports lens, yes.  Just the manner of speaking, I used to have a thicker english accent when I moved, now it’s not as noticeable, even though my sisters is pretty strong and she’s a year younger than me. The other thing was that it was a very patriotic time to move here because 9/11 had only happened only three months before. You didn’t see as much patriotism in England, a lot of people have been patriotic when I moved here.

AM: How important and vital would you say sports are in your life?

JG: Family is number one, my friends, those two things are top priorities, but after that it’s probably sports. It dictates most of my life, that’s why I’m here at Newhouse pursuing my masters because I’m going for the Sports Communication Emphasis. I spend most of my free time watching and reading about sports. I ran cross country for four years in college, most of my best friends there are from sports. It’s had a big impact on my life.

AM: You’ve met friends, and established friendships through sports, and they have created life long friendships?

JG: Absolutely. The guys on my college cross country team I consider to be my closest friends. I think that those guys are going to be my friends for the rest of my life. That came through athletics, and that came through running. 

AM: You said that a huge connection with your dad is through sports, can you talk about that a little?

JG: My dad is also a huge sports fan, he started to take me to see Brighton and Hove Albion, which is his soccer team in England that he roots for. I went to a game when I was three, but I don’t remember any of it. Starting when I was seven we got season tickets and I would go there every Saturday when they had a home game. My Grandpa was there and my two Uncles had season tickets too. It was awesome just getting to go to these games cause I loved soccer and I loved spending those weekends with my dad. Now, even though I don’t get to see him as much because I’m off at school, every time we talk on the phone sports is usually the conversation and subject. We’ll talk about the Patriots, we’ll talk about England soccer and cricket, we’ll talk about Brighton, those are mainly our go-to’s when we talk on the phone. 

AM: Well you said that your dads favorite team was Brighton for soccer when you lived in England and they were in the “lower tiers” when you were living there but now they have moved up. Also, since you’ve moved here basically all the sports teams in Boston have done great, as far as the Bruins, the Celtics won a championship, and the Patriots obviously won a couple. What do you think, Coincidence, or a lucky charm?

JG: It was weird because I moved her in December, 2001, and my birthday is on February 3rd and that happened to be the day of Superbowl XXXVI when the Patriots won their first title ending Boston’s streak of futility. Every since then the past decade has been the most dominant streak that a city has had for sporting titles. The Patriots won three, the Red Sox have won two, the Bruins and Celtics both won one. The Celtics and Bruins also came close to winning another each. I don’t know why it happened, or why the Red Sox won their first title in 86 years right after I moved here but I’ll accept it and I enjoy it.     

AM: What do you think you want to accomplish here at Newhouse?

JG: I want to give myself the tools to have a long career as a Sports Writer and sports media personality. I think there’s a great alumni network here, and obviously the program is well respected. I hope that when I leave here I’ll be able to go somewhere and begin a long career in the sports media industry. 

AM: Last question, what do you think would be your dream job ?

JG: I just want to be in a position where my opinion matters in the world of sports, where it’s respected, and people are interested in what I have to say.  Hopefully that will lead me to a place where I’m covering major events. I’d really above all else like to cover a World Cup Final for soccer, I think that’s just the best sporting event in the world. If I could get to cover one of those one day, and get to the point where my opinion is well respected in the sports community that’s my ultimate goal.