How did you become the voice of the Hershey Bears?

I’ve always loved hockey and once I figured out I didn’t have a future as a player, I decided I wanted to work for a hockey team. I loved the idea of becoming a broadcaster, so I went to college in Minnesota at St. Cloud State University and got to broadcast games for their Division-1 men and women’s hockey teams. That helped set me up for this career, and in 2012 I graduated and took a job as the Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting for a junior hockey team, the Dubuque Fighting Saints. I had an awesome three years there, met my wife in Iowa, and the team won the league title in 2013. From there, I advanced to pro hockey with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. I was in Charleston for a year working for Hershey’s ECHL affiliate. The summer of 2016, Hershey’s job opened and I applied and was lucky enough to attain the position. I feel fortunate everyday to be part of this historic and iconic organization, and Hershey is truly home to my family and I.

What does a typical game day look like for you? 

There is never really a typical day, and that’s what makes this job so fun. Every day is unpredictable. I get to my office at the GIANT Center with a plan of what I need to get done daily, but 10 minutes into a project I can get a call from a media member that changes my plans. Or if a trade or roster move happens, you have to drop everything and work on that. Even when I leave my office at night, during the season, I always have to be on call for anything that may happen. I have a routine I follow on game days that is a lot more typical, but the day-to-day nature of the job will really keep you on your toes. Our season generally sees us have games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so we’re working all week leading up to that with media interviews at practice, Weekly Releases, roster transactions, promo video shoots, and much more.

What’s your favorite moment from calling a Bears game?
It’s hard not to pick the Calder Cup wins! I’d say both Mike Vecchione’s Game 7 winner in Coachella in 2023 and Matt Strome’s Game 6 winner at GIANT Center in 2024 will probably never be topped for me. Both are unforgettable moments in their own special ways. Vecchione’s winner will always be a little extra special as it was in Game 7 in overtime for all the marbles and just the way we won that series was so sensational and a bit improbable too with the way it started. That 2023 team was a special group of guys. Then in 2024, the team dominated all season and got the job done in front of 11,013 fans. I still get goosebumps thinking about the crowd.

Honorable mentions from the playoffs include Garrett Pilon’s Game 5 winner vs. Coachella Valley in overtime in 2023, and Garrett Roe’s Game 7 winner in the 2024 Eastner Conference Finals versus Cleveland.

Do you have any favorite players to interview or moments with players that stand out?

I’ve been lucky to work with a lot of amazing guys. Guys from when I started in Hershey like Garrett Mitchell, Liam O’Brien, Travis Boyd, and Nathan Walker will always be some of my favorites. They treated me like family and welcomed me with open arms. Aaron Ness was there then and is our captain now too, so he is top of the list as well. From recent teams, Mason Morelli and Mike Vecchione are hard to not mention. Awesome guys, great interviews, and always making me laugh. There are plenty more I’m missing. We’ve been lucky to have great players and great people.

What’s the hardest part of being a broadcaster?  How do you remember all the different names and numbers?

There are plenty of tricky parts of the job that can be mastered with reps and experience. As far as names and numbers, I have a memorization process and make a spotting board for each game with players in number order. It contains all sorts of facts and tidbits on the players and the teams. I probably use 10-15% of that prep work, but it’s very important to have all that in front of you as you never know when you’ll need it.

I’d say the most difficult part is the part everyone in hockey goes through. The schedule is fast and furious, and for nine months of the year, you don’t have weekends free and you’re putting in a ton of work. There is travel and time away from family. You miss things like going home for the holidays. It’s a sacrifice you make for the job, and one that we all make because we love the game, we love the line of work we’re in, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

What advice would you give to young fans like me who dream of working in hockey someday?

First and most importantly, be a great person. That will go a long way! Talk to as many people as you can who work in hockey and get to know their jobs and find what jobs you might like to do. There are many great options and there are awesome people in those positions who are willing to help. If you can get involved in things like internships, shadowing experiences, or mentorship programs when you get older, go for it! In the meantime, things like writing a blog or taking photos is a great start. The more you can get your hands dirty and get experience in the industry, the better. Things like school classes that relate to the fields you are in or extracurriculars are all things that will help in the end!

Thank you Zack for taking the time to answer some questions!  Be sure to follow him on X @zackfisch