NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers longtime broadcaster Bob Ridley sits alongside the new voice of the Tigers Gino De Paoli in the Bob Ridley broadcast booth last Saturday ahead of the Tabbies 3-0 preseason win against the Swift Current Broncos at Co-op Place.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Gino De Paoli had an early reminder he was in a very new place and role on his first day as the Medicine Hat Tigers radio voice.
“When I got here at 9 a.m. and I saw Val, she let me in and I locked myself out in the stairwell and thought, you’re not in Okotoks anymore, kid, this is the big leagues,” De Paoli said.
The 34-year-old was announced as the new voice of the Tigers last Friday before they hit the road to Swift Current to face the Broncos in preseason action. Hours after he toured Co-op Place for the first time, De Paoli hit the bus with the team he will be watching and narrating the on-ice moves of for a long time. Likely not as long as his predecessor.
De Paoli is following the legendary Bob Ridley, who called Tigers games in all 52 of their seasons. The Cayley product spoke with the News after the Tigers preseason game last Saturday and is excited to prove himself on the mic, but wants to make it clear, he can’t and won’t be driving the team bus and he won’t be trying to fill anyone’s shoes.
“I hate the, ‘big shoes to fill,’ because those shoes are gone. You don’t put somebody else’s shoes on, they’ve left the house, they give you the keys and it’s your turn now to make sure it doesn’t burn down,” De Paoli said. “That’s what I have with Co-op Place, the opportunity with the Tigers. I’m extremely grateful for that. Bob and I had a really amazing chat in the first and second period. We talked about hockey, then silence, watching the game and making some notes: great play here, talk about life again. We always make sure we talk about life because there is a life outside of hockey and that was no different.”
De Paoli said he was introduced to Ridley years ago and the two talked about the job and life. He said Ridley has given him some tips throughout the years and was one of the people who said he should take over the mic in Medicine Hat.
“He says he’s a phone call away and I’m sure he’s only about a 5-10 minute drive from wherever I’m going to be staying,” De Paoli said. “But this is Bob’s world and I’m just living in it. He’s retired and he’s happy with it and he laid the responsibility on me to sort of pass the torch. I have to do my best to not drop it.”
Ridley said he likes the way De Paoli calls hockey games and the passion he has for the game and especially junior hockey. Ridley said his only advice is the same he gives every young broadcaster – be yourself.
“Don’t try to emulate or be somebody else, develop your own style and develop a relationship with the people that you’re working with and then carry on from there,” Ridley said. “It’s a lifelong process and it doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes a lot of work.”
De Paoli has put in his time on the mic as he joins the Tigers after calling the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers since 2012. He’s also called games in the SJHL for the Melfort Mustangs, Nipawin Hawks and Humboldt Broncos. De Paoli was also on the mic to call the WCBL’s Okotoks Dawgs, including their 2019 and 2022 championship seasons.
He said he never thought he would make it to the WHL level after being one of the last ‘cuts’ for other play-by-play positions around the league. Now that he has his dream gig, De Paoli says he is just going to live in the moment while entertaining and informing Tigers fans.
“This world needs entertainment, you need something to smile at,” De Paoli said. “When I call a hockey game, the whole world can be on fire outside I wouldn’t care because I’m in here, calling hockey. But I’m trying to be creative, trying to make sure I’m calling the game as best as possible … I’ve really shined to Rick Ball as an inspiration is Calgary. The way he called that Calgary playoff run this past year brought some passion and heart. He’s the guy in Calgary, I need to be the guy here in Medicine Hat. If Gavin McKenna scores, you’re going to know it.”
He said he will never forget his time in Okotoks because it was home for him and they took care of him, especially when things got tough like when his father Mel passed away in 2019. He said his dad was one of his biggest fans.
“My dad was a season ticket holder in the 80s and 90s with the Flames so I went to a lot of bad hockey games in the 90s, he got all the glory days in the 80s,” De Paoli said. “But we always have that connection where he was one of my biggest fans. When he passed away it was tough. My mom’s a big flames fan too and still is. He would be happy I’m here.”
He said he is excited for this weekend’s home opener and said he might have to take a pause before he goes on air to take in the moment. Then after that, he will be all business ensuring Medicine Hat Tigers fans know how their team is doing.
“It’s important that when we’re in the U.S. in October, we need to make sure that the city of Medicine Hat knows what the Tigers are doing in Everett, what they’re doing in Tri-City, in Portland, Seattle and Spokane. That’s a big road trip,” De Paoli said. “It’s so early but it might set the table for this team where they’re going to end up at the end of the year. It’s hard to say that in October because a lot can change. I’m excited. I’m pumped.”
