Wanted: mascot, people to promote Phantoms hockey

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New mascot for Youngstown Phantoms. wd lewis

Some 10 to 12 men and women are needed for the promotional team for games and outside appearances.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Phantoms are looking for a few good men and women, not to play hockey, but to be members of the game-day promotions team and to be the purple- dragon mascot.

The Phantoms conducted open interviews for the positions Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Covelli Centre, but not enough people showed up to fill the available berths, said Kelly Carroll, the team’s director of community relations and game-day operations.

Some 10 to 12 men and women are needed for the promotional team for games and some outside appearances.

Members of the promotions team, who do not need to be able to skate, will handle things such as gate giveaways, throwing T-shirts to the fans and organizing the Phantom 500, a kids car race, during intermissions, said Carroll, a former member of the Detroit Tigers Energy Squad.

Promotions team members are expected to interact with fans and contestants. This position is all about having a great personality, Carroll said.

The successful mascot candidate will have to skate while wearing the dragon costume, as well as interact and have fun with fans, she said.

Christina Timko of Canfield said she interviewed to be a member of the promotions team because she “loves communicating with people.”

Timko, 22, is a 2005 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School and a communications student at the University of Toledo. Timko said she danced for 14 years and did modeling and acting while in high school, preparing her to perform in front of audiences. Also, she said she was a waitress at a bar in Toledo.

When asked during the interview to describe her personality in three words, she said: “Outgoing, caring, and I can also be outspoken.”

Ryan Cmil, 31, is hoping his three years of experience as the Mahoning Valley Thunder’s mascot, the sabre cat Boomer, will get him onto the ice as the Phantom’s as-yet- unnamed, 6-foot-tall purple dragon mascot.

The mascot will be named via a fan contest.

Cmil said he can skate but admittedly not very well. He said he enjoyed being Boomer because it allowed him to “have a free rein and let loose and make an absolute fool of myself,” an act he hopes to take from arena football to the ice.

“And I love the kids,” said the 1997 graduate of Boardman High School and a 2004 graduate of Youngstown State University.

Carroll said she is continuing to prepare for the Phantoms’ season-opening game Oct. 3 by interviewing candidates for the positions of public address announcer and national anthem singer. Those interviews are from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Covelli Centre, 229 E. Front St.

People interested in being a member of the promotions team, or the team mascot, public- address announcer or national anthem singer should call Carroll at (330) 747-7825, ext. 5226, for information.

alcorn@vindy.com