Falcons Hire New Athletic Trainer and Equipment Manager
October 1, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Fresno Falcons News Release
FRESNO, CALIF. - The Fresno Falcons announced today the hiring of Greg Svarczkopf as the team's new athletic trainer and Ben Laing as the club's new equipment manager.
Svarczkopf enters his fourth season in professional hockey in 2008-09. He has prior hockey experience with the Trenton Titans and Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL, and the Flint Generals of the International Hockey League, and during the summer, he works soccer camps at Temple University. A native of Baltimore, Svarczkopf graduated from the University of Indianapolis in 2003.
"Greg is an experienced trainer who will bring a solid presence to our hockey operations staff," Falcons head coach and general manager Matt Thomas said. "His ECHL experience was vital in our search because of the uniqueness our league presents. He is a very knowledgeable and hard-working individual that will provide our players with the quality care that they deserve. We also look to Greg to add an increased element to our off-ice conditioning regimen so that we are one of the strongest and top-conditioned teams in the league."
Laing enters his first season in professional hockey, and joins the Falcons with eight years of working and managing in the hockey-retail business. A native of Rochester, N.Y., Laing played hockey at the college and junior level, and he attended Monroe Community College in Rochester.
"Ben comes highly recommended from many people in the business as a young and up-and-coming equipment manager," Thomas said. "He has extensive knowledge of the business and will fit in nicely to our staff. His role is vital in our players being able to compete at their highest level."
Opening Night 2008 at Selland Arena is set for Friday, October 24, when the Falcons host their arch-rivals, the Bakersfield Condors, at 7:35 p.m. Season Ticket packages start at just $432, and are now available by calling the Falcons at (559) 485-7825.
Began in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier 'AA' Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 23 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 828 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Eighteen of the 23 teams have played at least five years in their current city.
The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans. The league has drawn over four million fans each of the last five years and 11 times in the past 12 seasons.
ECHL Stories from October 1, 2008
- Condors announce training camp schedule - Bakersfield Condors
- Salmon Kings Receive Three From Moose - Victoria Salmon Kings
- RoadRunners Agree To Terms With Stephen Peat - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Falcons Hire New Athletic Trainer and Equipment Manager - Fresno Falcons
- Blades add forward Nicholson - Florida Everblades
- Falcons Agree to Terms with Goaltender Bryan Bridges - Fresno Falcons
- Las Vegas Adds Center Hamilton And Defender Beynon - Las Vegas Wranglers
- 21 Former ECHL Coaches/Players On NHL Staffs - ECHL
- Nailers Individual Game Tickets On Sale Now - Wheeling Nailers
- Nailers Announce 2008 Training Camp Schedule - Wheeling Nailers
- NHL Hockey Returns To Utah Sunday - Utah Grizzlies
- Rays Announce Training Camp Schedule - South Carolina Stingrays
- Lawrence Grill Named Host Restaurant of "Along the Boards" - Trenton Devils
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