Alex Kyrias was hired as the Vice-President of Communications and Broadcasting for the Iowa Chops in June of 2008. He will serve as the team's play-by-play broadcaster during all home and away games during the 2008-09 season. Kyrias comes to Iowa after serving as the Director of Public and Media Relations for the Augusta (GA) Lynx of the ECHL, where he also was the play-by-play voice for the Lynx. Broadcasting is Kyrias' passion, a timeline that includes going from United States Junior A Hockey to the American Hockey League in only five years. Prior to arriving in the professional ranks in the ECHL with Augusta, Kyrias was the Vice-President of Communications and play-by-play voice for the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League for the past five seasons. During his tenure in Texas, Kyrias called three consecutive National Championship games (2004, 2005, 2006), all of which the Tornado won. In 2005, Kyrias was a finalist for the Call of the Year Award on the Bob and Dan Radio Show on Sports Radio 1310AM The Ticket, and also was behind the microphone for the 2005 NAHL All-Star Game. In 2006, Kyrias was honored with the MDA Muscle Team Texas Tornado Meritorious Award, honoring his commitment and excellence in sports and the community. Kyrias earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Communications from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where he also set numerous goaltending records playing hockey for the Hoosiers from 1993-97. After college, Kyrias spent limited time as an emergency back-up goaltender for the ECHL’s Greenville Growl during the 1998-99 season, and later went back to Indiana University to serve as the General Manager and Associate Coach for the men’s hockey team from 1998-02. Prior to joining the Tornado in 2002, Kyrias served as Vice-President for the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Alex is married to wife Dory, and they live in Clive, Iowa.
Public Address Announcers
Maxwell Schaeffer
Maxwell is a 22-year resident of Des Moines and this is his 3rd year behind the P.A. microphone at Wells Fargo Arena. You may recognize his voice from local, regional and national radio and TV commercials. He is also one-half of "Maxwell & Pam In The Morning" on 93.3 KIOA! Max grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania (home to the AHL Hershey Bears) and played Jr. Bears hockey in his youth. Max is looking forward to the possibility of a CHOPS/BEARS playoff series!!
In-Stands MCs
Samantha Knight
Samantha has called Des Moines home for almost five years moving from her native Nebraska to take over the nighttime airwaves on Lazer 103.3. Music has always been part of her life with the seeds planted early from a father that once taught music history and around the age of six after witnessing the world of radio first hand thru a family friend that was a jock on KIOA, the decision was made.
Samantha’s been a hockey fan since 1986 when a friend introduced her to the sport. She’s since spread the love of the game thru her own family introducing them to it in 1996 during the Stanley Cup finals when her father asked, “What’s a blue line?” “What’s icing?” and of course her personal favorite, “How do you get ‘Whah’ out of R-O-Y?” Well she taught her dad a thing or two about the greatest sport on earth now the whole family loves it, right down to her father being the bus driver for the USHL’s Tri City Storm in her hometown of Kearney, NE.
Samantha is on her fourth year as an In Stands Emcee. “I love every minute of it. I mean, c’mon, I get paid to be part my favorite sport, meet and have fun with the fans and I have a great time each and every game. Who wouldn’t love this job?”
Mark Pierce
A native of White Bear Lake, Minnesota and diehard hockey fan, Pierce spent his childhood playing goalie in youth hockey leagues. Today, Pierce is the senior Advertising Executive at OnMedia Cable Advertising, and has experience in selling ad space on cable networks, including Versus, ESPN, ESPN 2 and the Big Ten Network.
Pierce has years of experience doing voice over work and PA announcements for various sporting events, including being the ring announcer at MMA events, and working as the PA announcer at Iowa Cubs games.
Pierce enjoys taking in Chops hockey games when he can, but is often the In-Stands Announcer at games. His favorite saying is “Put the biscuit in the basket”, and his favorite food is the Iowa Chop.
Happily married for 23 years to wife Julie, Pierce is also the father to three boys: Ryan, 18; Sean, 15 and Logan, 12.
Larry Cotlar
Veteran broadcaster Larry Cotlar is in his 29th year of sports talk radio, both on the local and national level, including the last seven years at 1460-KXNO Radio in Des Moines. His popular "Cotlar and Company" KXNO Radio show airs Monday-Friday from 6-9 a.m. A member of the Iowa High School Sports Hall of Fame, Cotlar was the 2007 Iowa Sportscaster of the Year. He is also the play-by-play voice of the Drake men's basketball team, as well as the sideline reporter for Iowa Barnstormers Arena2 telecasts
National Anthem Singers
Madison Barnes
Madison Barnes is quickly becomming a veteran of the Anthem circuit at the age of 10. She began singing the National Anthem at the age of 7. Since she has sung for Drake University Basketball, the Iowa Stars, the Iowa Chops, and the Arenacross Series. This past summer Madison was invited to sing the National Anthem at the Chicago White Sox's game at US Cellular Field in front of over 38,000 fans
In addition to singing the National Anthem, Madison has also sung at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in New York City.
Currently, Madison is a 4th grader at Altoona Elementary School and enjoys tumbling and competive dancing and has recently received the Future Stars Award at a national dance competition in the Bahamas as well as winning a national dance competition in Chicago this past summer.
Madison is supported by her family, her mother, Lynne, her father, Ron, her brother, Alex, and her four cats.
Keaton Schlatter
Keaton Schlatter attends Coon Rapids-Bayard Community School and is an 8th grade student. He has been singing since the age of 5. He has sang the National Anthem for the I-Cubs since the age of 9, Des Moines Buccaneers, Des Moines Menace, Iowa State Fair and enjoys performing at the Bill Riley local talent search contests and at the Iowa State Fair. He also performs at many community events including local recitals, school & church events and organizations for their entertainment. His dream is to be on American Idol! He also enjoys sports and is involved in Baseball, Basketball and Football.
John Cheatem
John Cheatem, Iowa’s greatest undiscovered gem is a multitalented singer and musician. Since John began singing at the age of 14, he has won countless talent and vocal competitions including the 2007 Iowa Idol contest and the Big Kahuna karaoke contest just to name a few. John has shared the stage with Tyscot Records founder Bishop Leonard Scott and is in high demand for various local and regional events throughout the Midwest.
John currently serves as praise and worship leader for Lutheran Church of Hope, the largest church in the Midwest. He is also a member of the phenomenal praise and worship group Kingdom Praise. With each new day, John continues to grow in his art and is truly a superstar in the making.
