Team ready to roll

By John Kovach

Goals set:

Win games,

attract fans

If you see one game, you will want to see more, a team owner said.

The three owners of the Mahoning Valley Thunder — Dr. Michael Slyk, Dr. Jon Saadey and Tim Chesney — hope to achieve several goals for their second-year team in the arenafootball2 league this season.

“For me personally, putting a winner on the field is the most important thing,” said Dr. Saadey, of Canfield, a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High, Yale University and Ohio State. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics and political science from Yale and his doctorate of dentistry from Ohio State.

Dr. Saadey also believes that if the Thunder win, “It will pique fan interest, which will fill seats, which in turn makes the games more emotional and fun.”

The Thunder, which averaged 4,500 fans last season on Cortland Banks Field in the Chevrolet Centre, again will play eight of its 16 games at the downtown venue under returning coach Michael Hold.

Dr. Saadey feels that winning and increased attendance will create more interest in the team.

“One of our obvious goals as an organization is to increase arena football awareness in the Mahoning Valley, as it grows throughout the country,” he said.

Dr. Slyk believes that the more people who experience arena football, the more people will come to the games.

“Everyone in the Valley needs to experience the adrenaline-charged, on-field drama of Thunder arena football, in 2008,” said Dr. Slyk, of Warren, a graduate of Warren JFK High, Ohio Northern University and the University of Toledo.

Dr. Slyk received a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from ONU and a doctorate of clinical pharmacy from the University of Toledo.

“Once you go to one game, I will guarantee, you’ll be back,” said Dr. Slyk, who is a principal owner of Jilltin Management Group LLC, is active in federal, state and local health care issues concerning seniors.

Chesney, of Canfield, wants the Thunder to be better than it was last year.

“I hope for the team to accomplish two things: No. 1, to make the playoffs, and No. 2, to take at least two out of three from Wilkes Barre/Scranton,” said Chesney, a Poland High and Youngstown State graduate. He earned a bachelor of science degree in economics from YSU.

Last year, the Thunder lost both games to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, who made it to the arenafootball2 championship game, where they lost to the Tulsa Talons.

Chesney is a member of the Ohio Health Care Association Board of Trustees, is a principal owner in Jilltin Management Group LLC and also is involved in federal, state and local legislative issues concerning the senior housing industry.

Other members of the Thunder front office staff are Adam Tokash, general manager, a Boardman High and Mercyhurst College graduate who was named to his post June 15, 2006; Anthony Farris, account executive/media relations coordinator, a Cardinal Mooney High and Ohio Center for Broadcasting graduate who also spent three years at YSU; Shawn McGehee of Poland, account executive and a South Range High graduate in his second year with the Thunder; and Josh Pridon of Poland, account executive, who attended Toledo and YSU.

Rounding out the Thunder front office are Danielle Sperdute, a New Castle, Pa., native, in her first year as coordinator of the Thunder’s dance team called the Storm Chasers; Leanne D’Apolito of Boardman, account executive/director of game operations, a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High and John Carroll; and Ashley Souder, office manager, a Columbiana High graduate who attended the University of Akron and graduated from YSU.

kovach@vindy.com