Gardner’s game
Sandburg’s busy assistant principal has ideas for Eagles after working as voice of Sky
Sandburg is reaching for the Sky.
Assistant Principal Greg Gardner’s duties include revamping the SuperfanZ student section, which won the Illinois High School Association championship for fan sections in 2017; heading the school’s esports program; and serving as a member of the IHSA Esports Advisory Committee.
He also is the husband of Mother McAuley assistant volleyball coach Meg Gardner and the father of Maddie, 7, Emma, 6, and Jimmy, 3.
So he is busy.
But that’s not all. Gardner is the public address announcer for the Chicago Sky, Illinois-Chicago teams, DePaul volleyball, and IHSA state finals in girls volleyball, lacrosse and boys gymnastics.
“It’s a way to stay a part of the game,” Gardner said. “I’m still part of the atmosphere. You are adding to the experience for the fans who are in the stands. Being able to create that atmosphere to help people engage in the event is something I’m passionate about.”
After being part of the Sky’s game-day extravaganza in 2019, Gardner brought some ideas back to Sandburg. If sports can return to normal, expect some fun things during events at the Orland Park school.
“He creates the most dynamic, fun, engaging experiences for our kids,” Sandburg Principal Jennifer Tyrrell said. “He pushes the envelope. He wants to bring some of those live in-game promotions to Sandburg. We can bring some fun things into our game days.
“He has the funnest office of any high school administrator I’ve ever met. He has a T-shirt cannon. He has all kinds of T-shirts. He has promotional items. He has technology.”
Gardner is a Hickory Hills native who attended St. Laurence, where he ran cross country and track, and the University of Illinois, where he majored in art education and was a painter. After a stint in the North Palos School District, he spent six years in the art department at Mother McAuley, where he was asked to replace the absent regular announcer during a 2005 volleyball match.
He had no previous experience.
Gardner got the hang of it and parlayed it into a handful of jobs behind the mic, including replacing legend Ray Clay as the voice of the Sky. Gardner loves it so much that he is frustrated to be away from it.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gardner hasn’t called a game since an Illinois-Chicago women’s basketball game on Feb. 23. He was crossing his fingers to work his second Sky season, but the WNBA moved its games to Florida.
He is a part of a Zoom group with other announcers across the country, and they take turns announcing lineups from past World Series. Gardner drew the 1941 World Series between the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers and announced names such as Bill Dickey, Pee Wee Reese and Joe DiMaggio.
“I totally miss it,” Gardner said. “I was thinking how much fun we had last summer.”
Gardner said he doesn’t have a gimmick when he calls games, but he has been using the word “time.”
“Ray Clay has set the standard for the ‘And now!’ — and last season with the Sky, ‘It’s time’ is something I’ve been using a lot,” he said. “‘It’s time to welcome your Sky.’ ‘It’s game time.’ ‘Now is the time.‘ ”
For Gardner, it’s time to get back behind the microphone.