Loubardias says "He Sceeeerrrrs"

I remember four radio play-by-play broadcasters growing up in Southwest Saskatchewan.

But before I get into that let me state that the internet was a none factor growing up in Swift Current, Saskatchewan back then. Listening to the radio was.
Ok I'm old, I'll admit it!
When I was growing up we rode bikes for entertainment or threw the football or baseball around.
We went outdoors!!
We didn’t sit around infront of a computer monitor surfing for hours with a bag of chips by our sides.
As a kid, radio was king.
That’s where the real sports fan would go to find updated information. Their was no internet, and Sportsnet and TSN were a pipe dream back then.
I mean who would watch a 24 hour sports channel any way? If you had two TV channels to pick from you were living the good life.
Locally I'd listen to the radio and hear John Enns calling Swift Current Broncos games and then later a gentleman by the name of Carl Pedarosha who was the voice of the Swift Currrent Indians during the teams time in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
I'd often be able to tune into the voice of the Saskatoon Blades - a young Roger Millions.
The only other play-by-play man I can recall listening to was Peter Loubardias.
Loubardias was the voice of the Regina Pats at the time, and in my world was the first broadcaster I had heard on radio that was animated on the air.
Enns and Pedarosha called the game with accuracy but Loubardias was different.
Despite a high pitched voice - which I swear hasn't changed since he was 13 - he caught my attention.
As a young 18 year-old working at the local radio station doing the meaningless task of playing religious tapes in the evenings, then Sports Director Kevin Smook (like that was his real name!) came up to me one winter day and asked if I wanted to do color for Loubardias.
Gulp!!
I was scared, nervous and excited all at the same time.
I thought to myself.....this is my big break. I can share the airwaves with Loubardias - wow !!

I remember meeting Pete up in the broadcast booth for the first time, but being a dummy I arrived while he was on the air during his pre-game show.
During a commercial break he introduced himself and told me to throw on my headset and we'd chat 'on the air' after the commercial break was over.
I don't think Loubardias knew what he was getting himself into when he had me by his side that night as the Pats and Broncos faced off at the Civic Centre.
Pete has little 'bass' in his voice but must have sounded like James Earl Jones when we he introduced me as his color guy for the evening to the Pats fans back in Regina.
Let me just say that puberty came late for me, and I could have been an ideal candidate for an all boys choir - even at 18.
I would have hit the high notes to perfection.
I recall Loubardias calling a great game that night, yet his color guy (me) was less than stellar.
But even though Loubardias probably thought in the back of his mind that I stunk, which I did, he never let on during or after the broadcast was through.

Years later at the Memorial Cup in Quebec City in 2003 I saw him and hoped he wouldn't remember me.
He did, and we talked about that day when I joined him in the broadcast booth on my first official hockey radio broadcast.
Pete is as gracious today as he was back then. If you ever have a chance to say hi to Loubardias - do. He loves junior hockey, and loves people.
On that faithful day when I was 18 he showed passion for a want-to-be broadcaster who was green behind the ears.

But before you get carried away and think I have a Peter Loubardias shrine at home which includes a picture of him on my wall, I don't.
My wife wouldn't allow it!
Seriously though my experience with Pete is one of the real reasons why I chose what I am now doing for a living.
I am hoping I can return the favor to someone who was as keen as I was in getting into the broadcast industry and calling hockey games on the radio.
Pete Loubardias was a class act back then, and remains the same to this very day.
I'm hoping I can follow his lead.