David Fong graduated from Troy High School in 1992, having watched the Troy-Piqua rivalry from the stands. He studied journalism at the Ohio State University, where he covered the football team for the Lantern, the school's newspaper. He served as sports editor in 1995 and 1996. Following an internship with the (Toledo) Blade, he graduated from OSU in 1996. Four days following graduation, he began working full-time in the sports department at the Troy Daily News, where he has been ever since.