He's taking a chance. He's putting himself out there. He's trusting his gut.

T.J. Eck is going for it.

And why not? The Columbia native and 2008 graduate of Lancaster Catholic High School (LCHS) is a snappy dresser, he's got the personality, he's got the character, he's got the support, and he's got the background.

"It's been quite a journey to get to where I am today," said Eck. "My life hasn't really panned out the way I thought it would. While I don't always understand why things happen, I believe it's part of a plan that's bigger than me. Maybe I've been put in a certain place for a certain reason."

"Coming out of high school, there was a part of me that didn't know what I wanted to do," he added. "But there's always been something pulling me toward sports. It's what I've always cared about the most."

In the middle of November, Eck started a job as a weekend sports anchor, sports reporter and news reporter for channel 40, a Fox television affiliate in Binghamton, N.Y. In addition to shooting highlights and writing scripts, Eck's duties include covering and reporting on Binghamton University athletics; the Binghamton Devils of the American Hockey League; the Binghamton Rumble Ponies baseball franchise, an AA minor league affiliate of the New York Mets; and local sports.

"I'm just really excited about this opportunity and excited about doing the best I can," said Eck, who earned a communications degree from Juniata College and a master's in broadcast and television from Syracuse University. "I think it's the perfect opportunity for me right now, to get back into the television industry. I do have a lot of TV experience (about 10 years). It's what I have a passion for. It's what I'm trained to do."

"I've never thought of myself as a TV personality," Eck continued. "I've always thought of myself as passionate about sports and wanting to share that with other people. I don't try to put on a persona on TV. I have just gotten more comfortable in front of the camera."

During the two years prior to landing his current job in Binghamton, Eck wrote about local high school and college sports for two publications in Lancaster and one in Lebanon. The sports writing proved to be a career bridge for Eck after an illness had forced him to step away from a budding television career that included two previous stops in Nebraska and one in Virginia.

"(The sports writing) was a much difference experience, but it got me back to sports journalism, and that was so important to me," said Eck. "I needed something to give me that fire and purpose again. Those writing experiences were really vital for me getting back on track."

While Eck didn't uncover his passion for sports journalism until college, he got his footing beneath him at LCHS, where he played baseball and basketball for the Crusaders. Eck credited both a supportive LCHS staff and family upbringing for the foundations of his confidence.

"I loved my time at Lancaster Catholic High School," said Eck, 34. "It was a great experience, and it really helped me from a work ethic standpoint. There are just high expectations at Lancaster Catholic, and that set high standards for me. It taught me the value of hard work, and it helped prepare me for what's expected in life."