Voice of FCIAC honored for 30 years behind the mic at Wilton
When Franey Donovan called his first FCIAC boys basketball championship game in 1995 at Zeoli Field House in Wilton, one of the players he introduced was a forward from Westhill named Joel Geriak.
So it was fitting that Tuesday night in Wilton, it was Geriak presenting Donovan with a plaque honoring his 30 years of being the public address announcer for Wilton basketball ahead of the teams game against Westhill.
Donovan’s memory for the names of players is well known and it should come as no surprise he recalls Geriak as a player as well as how he got the nod to announce the FCIAC final after years of just doing Wilton games.
“I remember we were playing Fairfield and Dave Schulz was the coach and after the game he asked if I would be available to do the FCIAC games and of course, I said ‘I’d love to,’” Donovan said. “Joel was in the first championship game that I did. He was a junior. It was Westhill against Norwalk and the game went into overtime and Norwalk won. It’s incredible that he’s now the coach here.”
Donovan has been at Wilton for 30 years, announcing football, basketball, lacrosse, baseball and soccer and has been the voice of the FCIAC basketball semifinals and finals every year since 1995.
Generations of Wilton and FCIAC fans have listened to Donovan’s voice echo off the walls of the field house, roll up the large wooded hill opposite Lilly Field or boom over Fujitani Field on a Friday night in the fall.
“He’s a local legend and not just for basketball. Every kid in this town wants to hear their name called by him,” Geriak said. “He knows every kid and what sport you are in. He talks to all the kids, gives them encouragement before the games. He takes a lot of pride in knowing every person in this town.”
The first night Donovan did a Wilton boys basketball game, legendary football coach Tom Fujitani was the scorekeeper seated next to him, offering advice Donovan lives by to this day.
“What Tom Fujitani told me was ‘just be yourself and don’t editorialize. Don’t tell people what a great pass it was, they know it’s great pass,”
Donovan said. “30 years later, I can’t believe I’m still around doing this. I’m amazed they put up with me.”
He has called the names of countless athletes in his time and he remembers most of them.
“There has probably been thousands of names and numbers that I have called and some of them, I may have even pronounced correctly,” Donovan joked. “I appreciate them for everything they have done for me. It has really worked out well.”
Prior to Tuesday’s game, notes sent in from former players were read to the crowd gathered to honor Donovan and then Geriak presented him with his plague which will hang in Zeoli Field House before Donovan addressed the crowd in his distinctive New York accent.
Donovan often speaks of the “Wilton family” and it was certainly a family affair Tuesday with his wife, Barbara, and some of his children and grandchildren in attendance coming on the court for a photo after the ceremony.
The Donovans put four kids through Wilton High School, Kerry (Class of 1989), Meaghan (1992), Elizabeth (1994) and Susanne (1997) and four of their grandchildren are either in the school now or recently graduated.
Donovan considers every day he gets to be behind the microphone a blessing and hopes the lives he has given something positive back to a community he dearly loves.
“I am just so lucky because this has been such a love,” Donovan said. “If I could have done this fulltime somewhere after I got out of school, I would have done that because I really love doing it. I am glad I followed Fujitani’s advice.”