Fans of the notorious Kevin Pauls, flamboyant game day broadcaster for the Niverville Nighthawks, may be sorry to see him go. But the team’s board members say that the two new hires set to replace him will bring their own level of charisma.

When the season gets underway this September, Bill Burfoot and Tavyn Arnason will share the press box as duo announcers at home games.

Kevin Dunn, the team’s sales and marketing manager, says the two will likely rotate between the roles of play-by-play commentator and colour person. Dunn describes the job of the colour person as one who adds pizzazz to the broadcast between plays.

“Both have experience in broadcasting and we’re happy for the fact that there’s two of them,” says Dunn. “It’s nice to have a female broadcaster, too.”

It took only one month for the Nighthawks to find the duo. Pauls gave his notice earlier in the summer in order to return to his hometown team, the Winkler Flyers, in a marketing role.

Dunn says the ad for broadcasters was posted online and nine applications came in, including some from Ontario and Saskatchewan.

“It’s people that want to get a career in broadcasting and this is a jumpstart for them,” Dunn says. “Once we narrowed it down to five or six applicants, we watched their video and audio. It came down to, ‘Who has the personality when you close your eyes and listen to them? Who’s painting the best picture?’”

Arnason hails from Clandeboye, Manitoba. She currently works as a digital media assistant for the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

In years past, she volunteered with the Selkirk Steelers, her first MJHL experience. She also dabbled in hockey broadcasting for the Interlake Lightning in the province’s AAA league.

At first, she says, broadcasting was an experiment to push herself out of her comfort zone. She enjoyed it so much, though, that she followed it up with a college degree in Creative Communications.

“It ended up having an impact on me by giving me a voice that I never thought I had,” Arnason says. “Pushing myself forward and pushing my limits led me to where I am right now.”

Arnason saw the Nighthawks ad on LinkedIn.

“The ad definitely caught my eye,” Arnason says. “I was trying to convince my co-worker at the Goldeyes to do it, because he was talking about doing hockey in the winter. And then the PA announcer [looked at me and said], ‘You should do it.’”

For Arnason, the career move could be a stepping stone to greater things, including the NHL one day. One of Arnason’s great inspirations is Daniella Ponticelli, who has worked as a play-by-play broadcaster, journalist, and radio host for elite sports in recent years.

“I started following her on Instagram because everyone was mentioning her,” Arnason says. “I listened to a couple of her broadcasts and I was like, ‘If she can do it, I can do it.’”

Burfoot, too, comes with the right background. He was a play-by-play announcer in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with the La Ronge Ice Wolves for one year and followed that with five years with the Winnipeg Blues.

Currently, he works as league coordinator with the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association.

“I just love being involved in sports and competition,” Burfoot says. “Anything that gets you fired up.”

Burfoot heard about the Nighthawks ad by word of mouth.

“I was hesitant because my son is a draft pick for [the Nighthawks] and he’s trying out for the team,” says Burfoot. “But after talking to [some board members], they assured me [that it’s okay]. Just be professional.”

Burfoot’s son was 15 when the Nighthawks first got off the ground and he’s been attending their camps ever since. He’s since been drafted by the team and was called in as backup goalie during last year’s playoffs. 

“[Niverville’s] game day experience is one of the best,” says Burfoot. “It’s so loud in there when it’s packed. I don’t know if there’s any better place to be. It’s fun to be in a small town that supports their team.”

It’s a thrill and honour for Burfoot to follow in the heels of a guy like Kevin Pauls, who he says has set the broadcasting bar very high.

“If we can keep that legacy going and add our own twist to it, I’m looking forward to that.”

As for working together with Arnason, Burfoot says he can’t wait for the season to begin.

“I remember starting out, just how hard it was to get an opportunity,” Burfoot says. “I’m also a dad of three girls and knowing that there’s a female [like Tavyn] trying to get in, I’m more than honoured to help with that.”