Sussex Tech alums start sports podcast

With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to shut down the East Coast in early March, Patrick Cassat started to think about how he would pass the time being stuck at home.

With his college classes moving online and his part-time job shut down, Cassat jumped at the opportunity to realize one of his dreams – podcasting. So he ordered the equipment and got started.

Shortly into recording the Social Sports Hour, he added high school friend Tony Monaco as a co-host. Both graduated from Sussex Technical High School.

“I love sports, so having the opportunity to talk to people who love sports as much as I do opens doors for different chances to talk to other people with different opinions,” Monaco said.

Monaco was an all-conference swimmer at Sussex Tech. A shoulder injury cut short his career in the pool.

Cassat was a member of the Ravens golf team and was part of the school’s sports media group. 

The team recently gained a third member, as Sussex Tech senior Hunter Williams was added to the show’s lineup.

“I am a fan of challenges and sports, so when the idea to help make a sports podcast in a time without sports was presented to me, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of,” Williams said.

Williams grew up playing baseball and now spends much of his time outdoors fishing.

The podcast covers a lot of territory, from NBA, NFL, MLB and college sports to mock drafts and creating all-time teams. The team also interviews coaches, athletes and entrepreneurs, including Zach Jarrett, a player in the Baltimore Orioles organization; Reese Mona, a University of Maryland basketball player; and Tommy Hinkle, two-time winner of the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Md. The most recent episode features an interview with Chris Ruder, CEO of Spikeball.

Episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, and can be found on Apple podcasts and SoundCloud.

“I love the team that we have around us because everyone does their job, and everyone has fun with it,” Cassat said.