SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - In celebration of Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, April 20, the Springfield Thunderbirds announced today that South Hadley High School sophomore Brady Denniston will be the team's public address announcer for the season finale, filling in for regular PA voice Steve Forni.

Denniston has assisted the Thunderbirds' staff as the public address voice for the T-Birds' Preliminary Hockey games since the 2021-22 season. Additionally, during his school years, he has served as the public address announcer for South Hadley Tigers basketball, baseball, and soccer games. Furthermore, Denniston is an active member of South Hadley High School's Sports Network initiative, where he serves as the lead play-by-play broadcaster.

"This opportunity means the world to me; it's a dream come true," said Denniston. "I have been coming to T-Birds games for as long as I remember, idolizing (Steve Forni). I'm honored to fill in for him and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the Thunderbirds organization."

"Fan Appreciation is an event where we, as an organization, show our gratitude towards our fans for their unwavering support of the Thunderbirds," said Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa. "We have witnessed Brady's growth as a fan of our team, and his passion and enthusiasm for the game and our organization have led us to offer him this opportunity. We believe that he will excel in this role and hope it motivates him to continue chasing his dreams."

Fans can reserve seats for Thunderbirds’ hockey action in the 2024-25 season with a ticket membership by calling (413)-739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.