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Phantoms rally for students
By Elise franco
efranco@vindy.com
Austintown
Photo
Jordan Tibbett, a goalie for the Youngstown Phantoms, reads “Life Size Zoo” to third-graders at Lloyd Elementary in Austintown. Tibbett, along with nine of his teammates, read to students in first, second and third grade Tuesday afternoon.
Youngstown Phantoms hockey players replaced their playbooks for a few books that are a bit more elementary.
Ten of the team’s players spent Tuesday afternoon reading to students in first through third grade at Lloyd Elementary School.
It’s a program Kelly Carroll, the Phantoms’ director of community relations, said the team sponsors throughout the community.
Carroll said it gives the players a chance to see different parts of the Mahoning Valley and to meet new people.
“None of these guys are from Ohio, so getting them in touch with the area is important,” she said. “A lot of the kids they read to are their fans, so this helps them connect to those fans and the whole community.”
Joshua Emery, 9, was one fan who said he couldn’t wait to meet some of his favorite Phantoms.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I’ve been to pretty much every [Phantoms] game.”
Jordan Tibbett, 20, a goalie, is originally from Indianapolis. Tibbett, who played for the team when they were the Mahoning Valley Phantoms, said he felt comfortable reading to the children.
“It’s stuff we do a lot for the organization,” he said. “We like to get out and give back.”
Tibbett, who read “Life Size Zoo” to Clarice Marshall’s third-grade class, interacted with the students as he read, joking around and asking them for input.
“Life-Size Zoo” is by Teruyuki Komiya, Toyofumi Fukuda and Kristin Earhart.
“I’ve done this a bunch of times,” he said. “Any time you can get out in the community, it’s good for your character.”
Marshall said Tibbett handled her class well.
“He did an excellent job interacting with the children and interjecting his own ideas into the story,” she said. “They’re not a quiet group, and they reacted marvelously. They loved it.”
Tibbett’s teammate Ryan Jasinsky, 20, a Richmond, Va., native, said he enjoys seeing how much the kids respond to the program.
“These kids are our fans, and they get to see us firsthand,” he said. “It kind of gives them a role model.”
Marshall said this program was another new way to get students excited about reading.
“Reading is so important,” she said. “It’s the basis for a good education.”