Billy Cvecko: From Backyard Baseball to Newhouse

By Emily Hanson

Billy Cvecko may be known around campus for his long blonde locks, but he also wants to be known for spreading happiness and a helping hand.

“People already remember me as the man with the best flow in all of the United States,” Cvecko said. “So I already accomplished my goal.”

All jokes aside, Cvecko, a student in the Television, Radio and Film program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, said he wants to be known as a good person who was always there to do something for anyone, at anytime.

Cvecko grew up with a group of tight knit friends. He had a baseball field in his backyard in Pennsylvania. He played “kick the can,” football and baseball with his neighbors. His dad enrolled him in several sports as a child, and his love of the games grew from there.

From playing many sports in high school to running track in college, sports has been a huge part of Cvecko’s life. He started running track at a branch campus of Penn State and broke six school records. From there, he transferred after two years to the school’s main campus in University Park. Growing up a Nittany Lion fan, he truly enjoyed his experience on the track team there.

Cvecko came to Newhouse for his masters because of the reputation of the school and the Television, Radio and Film program. He hopes to work for ESPN one day on shows or documentaries. He has also set a goal to be certified on Twitter someday.

He’s excited about the next year and is setting his sights high to be among some greats in the field who also attended Newhouse.

“Every class I hear someone talking about ‘oh he went here, he went here,’” Cvecko said. "That’s just crazy. One day I want them to say I went here.”

Transcript:

E. When did you start to love sports?

B. I think I started when…basically my dad signed me up for every sport growing up. I played football, basketball, baseball, and I guess I started to run a little bit as well. And all through high school I played all those sports, and it just… I don’t know. I loved the movies. I loved having Steelers season tickets… went to all those football games. And basically just growing up my whole neighborhood played.

E. How did you pick Penn State (for undergrad)?

B. My dad went there, and I went to a branch campus that was 15 minutes away from my house for two years. And then my major made me go to University Park – Main Campus. And I guess it’s just where my family… my dad… everyone in Pennsylvania loves it.

E. When did you start to run track for Penn State?

B. I never ran any races in high school. I ran district and states in high school – that’s it. So, two races my whole high school career. But then I went to Behrend and ran for two years and broke six school records. Then when I transferred up to Penn St, they let me run for them for like a year and a half.

E. What made you come to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University?

B. I came to Newhouse because I heard of the tremendous reputation they had with ESPN and communications as a whole. And I wanted to get a job in that field one day. I figured this would be the best option for that.

E. So, what are your career goals?

B. I would love to work for ESPN – either working with a team individually for a show like Hard Knocks or make a 30 for 30 film. I would love to do those.

E. What is one fun fact about yourself?

B. One fun fact about myself is…my nickname is Toad, and I don’t know why. But everyone calls me Toad. It’s my license plate on my car and on my letterman’s jacket. And I don’t know why.

E. You don’t know where it stemmed from?

B. My dad started calling me that, and my friends heard it and starting calling me it basically.

E. Okay, your claim to social media fame is getting 100+ likes on an Instagram photo. What was that photo of?

B. (Laughs) Um… Now I have a lot of likes on Instagram. I just got 200 and some on one when I had surgery on my leg. What was that photo of? I don’t even know anymore.

E. So it’s safe to say you’re a star on social media?

B. No, no, not at all. I wish. I wish. Maybe someday. My goal is to be certified on Twitter someday.

E. What is your favorite childhood memory?

B. I guess my favorite childhood memory is not one memory. It’s the neighborhood I grew up in, Creekside, as a whole. I wouldn’t change my childhood for anything basically. The people I grew up with and the people I surround myself with are people that are always there for me. We had a baseball field in our backyard, so we basically did everything there. It was always “kick the can,” football, baseball or just camping out.

E. If people could remember you for one thing, what would you want people to remember you as?

B. People already remember me as the man with the best flow in all of the United States. So, I already accomplished my goal.
No, I wish people just remember me as a good person who was always there to do something for anyone at anytime – no questions asked. And I hope that I could somehow spread happiness and just a helping hand through my actions.

E. And, what are you most excited for this school year?

B. I’m really excited to meet all the people we’re going to get to Skype, interview with and come into to talk to us. And just opportunities. Every class I hear someone talking about “oh he went here, he went here.” That’s just crazy. One day I want them to say I went here.

Interview audio: https://soundcloud.com/eahanson12/emily-hansons-interview-with-billy-cvecko