Jaret Schneider

Q: Hello Jaret, thanks for taking the time to chat. First off, tell us a little about yourself.

A: Hello, and thanks for having me. Well I grew up in the small town of Shellbrook Saskatchewan. I like most kids, played plenty of sports growing up from hockey, to football to basketball and golf.

Sports had always been a passion of mine and something I was looking forward to doing, and hopefully working in for the rest of my life.

Following High School I attended the Western Academy Broadcasting College and got my first radio job in Thompson, Manitoba. From there I was able to foster traits and skills that allow me to do my current job and enjoy what I’m doing.

Currently I am 23 years old and am the News and Sports Director at 102.9 CJAR, Voice of the OCN Blizzard, and Director of Marketing for the OCN Blizzard.

Q: You've been working in the media industry here for a few years now, can you tell us a bit about what that's like?

A: Working in the media industry definitely has its ups and downs. On one hand your required to dig deep into current events and local news and are required to inform the public of the happenings in the community. That can be great and rewarding at times but can also be tough on a person. Depending on the news it’s a tough pill top swallow when you’re first on hand to witness events such as car crashes or fires. Spending the last 3 years in The Pas and OCN have been the most rewarding 3 years of my life. I have had years’ worth of experiences and made great friendships across the country in the media industry. It's something that I look to continuing for years to come.

Q: You're also the "Voice of the Blizzard" with your station job, and recently took on the role of Director of Marketing with the Blizzard. Tell our readers what it's like getting to have those opportunities.

A: Those two opportunities were the sole reason alone I moved to The Pas and now call our community home. Becoming “Voice of the OCN Blizzard” was one of the proudest accomplishments in my life and something I am enjoy. It’s an opportunity I do not take for granted and enjoy every minute of being on the air, or with the team.

Recently I took over the Marketing position for the Blizzard and again it has opened many doors for me. I spend the summer months talking to OCN Blizzard sponsors and planning for the upcoming hockey season. Once hockey season starts the Marketing position slows down a little as most of my time is then spent making sure everything is in order for a hockey game. I get amazing help from our booster club and specifically our game day coordinator Krista Moisan.

Q: Obviously, the big talk right now is the "Save Our Blizz" campaign. You've seen the meetings first hand, and how our communities are responding. Can you comment on what you think needs to happen in order for our team to continue to stay here?

A: Yes this Save the Blizzard campaign has sprung up over night it seems as the announcement of this being the final season for the OCN Blizzard came as a shock to many. In order to keep the team, I think right now writing this, we just need as much community support as we can get. Use the hashtags and spread the word, and most importantly attend the games. As far as the behind the scenes decisions, I don’t know a lot about but if there’s one thing we can do is attend games and support the team. If the hockey club is going to stay beyond 2016-17 they need the support now until the end of the season.

Q: Sports aside, what do you think our communities' strong points are? And what can we work on?

A: One of the things I noticed right away upon moving to The Pas is the support and friendliness within the community. The generosity alone is amazing. Recently the fire that happened at Acres Manor displaced around 100 residents and the donations that poured in over the first 24 hours was unbelievable. The way this community rallys around unfortunate events is the greatest I’ve ever seen.

Q: Thanks so much for your time, and final words for our readers?

A: I don’t have much for finals words other than I’d like to thank the community for welcoming we with warm arms 3 years ago, and making my stay in The Pas a memorable one. I’ve made a ton of friends and memories I will not forget. I look forward to doing whatever I can to save the Blizzard and making the teams stay in the community a long lasting one. Whatever happens with the team over the next months it goes without saying that I couldn’t be prouder of the time I’ve spent here and the relationships I’ve built. Thank you The Pas and OCN.

You can connect with Jaret on his blog at thepasonline.com, and ocnblizzard.com.