Another Vrooman will work behind the mike

Son of Winterhawks’ former broadcaster assumes color role

By jason vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Jul 21, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

TODD VROOMAN

You won’t hear any “Holy Torpedoes!” or “Mother McCree!” out of the new Portland Winterhawks radio color commentary person.

Todd Vrooman, son of former longtime radio man Dean “Scooter” Vrooman, won’t rip off any of Pop’s style or catch phrases.

“I’m going to let things develop as they happen,” Todd Vrooman says. But, he says, “I’m not naive — a reason I’m getting the job is because of him, his ties to the community and team. I’m really grateful.”

Todd Vrooman, 20, will work all 36 home games alongside play-by-play man Andy Kemper — it’s a paid, part-time position — and maybe do some road games. A part-time student at Portland Community College, Vrooman eagerly looks forward to the season and his first real dalliance in the radio biz.

He did color for one of Dean Vrooman’s Internet broadcasts of an exhibition game, before the elder Vrooman resigned in 2007. And father and son had put together some play-by-play audition tapes, calling ‘07 Stanley Cup playoff games with the TV volume turned down.

The Hawks say they hired Todd Vrooman for several reasons: his experience with the team as water/towel boy from ages 12 to 18, the background he got through his father, and the fact that he played hockey with the Portland Junior Hawks and has deep knowledge of the sport.

At his age, Todd Vrooman can relate to junior hockey players, who are 16 to 20. He replaces Mark Ertle, who has been named executive director of the ambitious Winterhawks Amateur Hockey Association, an organization formed to increase awareness, knowledge and local play in the sport.

“I think he’s going to do fine,” says Kemper, who’ll enter his third year as play-by-play man. “I’ve known Todd for a lot of years. He has good insight into the game, and he played at a high level of midget. He’ll have interesting perspective, being not much older than most players and the same age as some.”

The elder Vrooman, who is co-chairman of the Winterhawks Alumni Association with former player and coach Mike Williamson, hopes the gig works into something full-time for his son with the team. He believes fans won’t expect too much from the lad.

“People understand he’s 20 and doesn’t have the radio background that I did,” says Dean Vrooman, who works for First Independent Bank in Vancouver, Wash.

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