Since the days of the ancient Greek Olympics and Roman gladiators, people have been innately drawn to sports. We stand at rapt attention as we admire physical feats of speed, strength or endurance. The Super Bowl is annually the most-watched program on American TV, and it’s been reported that as many as five billion of the world’s eight billion inhabitants tuned in to watch last year’s World Cup. Yep, we love athletes.

However, in today’s highly competitive, hyperconnected world, legions of support are required to train and support sportspersons. Whether it entails poring over analytics that help players enhance their performance, cultivating sponsorships that provide financial support to collegiate athletic departments, or managing the digital assets that support disseminating sports-related content, numerous roles must be filled to support the business of sports. 

Here’s a look at one of several Deltasigs to helps connect fans to our favorite sports.

Anthony Gulino, Redlands (CA)
Director of Operations for Los Anarchists Youth Roller Derby Team

Being a freelance software engineer is Anthony’s job, but running a youth roller derby team is his passion. First and foremost, Brother Gulino wants to make clear that the modern incarnation of roller derby is not “professional wrestling on roller skates”, as some mischaracterize it.

“[Roller derby] has a reputation for violence and theatrics. While that may have been a focus of classic roller derby in the 1970s, the sport has evolved. Modern roller derby incorporates an elaborate set of rules that are designed to protect the safety of its participants. It’s physical, but not violent.”

Roller derby became a focal point for Anthony’s family when he took his daughter Gabriella to a roller derby bout when she was 10 years old. She loved the intensity of the sport and the player’s outlandish costumes. Anthony said, “When we were driving home, Gabriella turned to me and said, ’Dad, I have to do this.’ I didn’t know junior roller derby existed, but we found a team for her.”

Adopting her derby persona, Mount Crushmore, she enthusiastically learned the sport, and in 2017, became a founding member of Los Anarchists Junior Derby, a Los Angeles-area junior roller derby league that has players from ages five to 18, leading the team to a World Championship victory in 2019. Even though she aged out of junior derby two years ago, Anthony continues to serve as Los Anarchists’ director of operations. Although he’s not compensated for his efforts, he effectively gives it the attention of a full-time job and handles such duties as scheduling, fundraising, budgeting, marketing and procuring sponsorships.

Gulino graduated from the University of Redlands with a Bachelor of Science in information technology in 1998 and Master of Science in interactive telecommunications in 2004. Prior to earning his master’s degree, he got to know several Redlands Deltasig members while in a class taught by Dr. Larry Sunn, who was then Advisor to what would later became Xi Pi Chapter. As his relationship grew with the chapter, he built its website and developed such close relationships with the brothers that they made him an honorary initiate. He remains an active member of the Inland Empire Alumni Chapter, currently serving as its vice president-chapter operations. He co-manages the group’s annual Make A Difference Day outing, coordinating collegiate and alumni chapters in the Pacific Coast and South Pacific Regions to serve Santa Claus Inc. in San Bernardino, Calif. as they donate their time, talent, and treasure to the nonprofit. Next year will mark their 20th anniversary of involvement with this project.

“My experiences in Delta Sigma Pi have provided me many of the tools required to build and manage a successful junior roller derby program,” Anthony said. “My Fraternity duties have provided experience in managing projects and people that translate directly to the operational responsibilities of our programs.”

Check back for more spotlights in this series!