New voice of RoughRiders ready to roll

Caught up with new Cedar Rapids RoughRiders' radio play-by-play man Jim Stachoviak yesterday. He's a 28-year-old University of Iowa employee who won the team's open tryout last month.

Here's a short story on him:

CEDAR RAPIDS - Yeah, he's heard Brian Lavelle's name thrown around in his presence.

"A couple of times," Jim Stachowiak said, laughing. "Sounds like I've got big shoes to fill."

The Iowa City man and employee of the Iowa Center for Assistive Technology Education and Research (ICATER) at the U of I is the new radio voice of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, making his debut tonight as the RoughRiders play Chicago in the home opener at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Stachowiak, 28, replaces the popular Lavelle, who has moved on to the professional Quad City Mallards.

Riders games are broadcast by KMJM-AM 1360 and also are on the United States Hockey League's Web site (www.ushl.com).

"I'm fired up about it. Ready to get going," Stachowiak said. "I think I'll bring a lot of enthusiasm."

Stachoviak is a Detroit-area native who graduated from the University of Michigan, where he did student TV telecasts of Wolverines hockey.

Coaxed by his wife, he decided to attended the Riders' open tryouts last month for radio broadcaster.

He won, and will be the team's play-by-play guy for all home games. The RoughRiders pick up the opponent's feed for road games.

"I hope people will be patient with me until I hit my stride," Stachowiak said. "I'm sure it'll only take a couple of games.

"I'm very excited about it. I'm a sports nut, and I love doing this stuff."

Brian Lee of Cedar Rapids won the tryout for public-address announcer at The Stable this season. Jaymz Larson is the team's in-game host.

n Contact the writer: (319) 398-8259 or jeff.johnson@gazcomm.