HELENA — Helena Bighorns owner Mike Greene calls the team's play-by-play announcer, Scott Keith, the best in the business.
Said Keith: “This is kind of a dream job for me as a kid. I started doing play-by-play on a cassette machine.”
Starting at age twelve, Keith would turn down his television to practice adding his own commentary to sporting events. He’s been in the business for over 40 years and in numerous cities, and is reveling in his time in Helena doing play-by-play for the Bighorns on their streaming service, HockeyTV.
“Seeing these young men develop over time, we get to see some of these players here for two, three, even four years, and to see them progress. And it's such an exciting, fast-paced game. And you can't help but get excited when you walk into the arena on a Friday or Saturday night to watch the team and there's so much more going on beyond the game,” Keith said.
Keith has been with the Bighorns for nearly eight seasons now. But his most exciting memory with the team is recent — last season’s playoff games against the team's division rivals, the Gillette Wild.
“Two of the most exciting hockey games I have ever called. And that includes some college games. The intensity of the crowd, the arena was packed, the excitement of two of the top teams in the division, battling it out knowing whoever won was going to go to the national championship,” Keith said.
Though Keith’s job is full of excitement and fun, he recognizes how important it is.
“We know there are a lot of parents because a lot of these kids come from other places that are watching, sometimes around the world, in other countries, because we get some foreign players here," he said. "So you've got to bring the game to them. No matter what night of the week it is, even though it's in Helena, Montana.”
And while he brings Bighorns games into other's homes, Keith too, feels at home.
“It feels like home here in the arena being a rink rat, or former rink rat and hockey person walking into the arena. And it just smells like home. I mean, just, it's the Ice Arena. It's the excitement. It's the sport," he said.
Keith will have more exciting games to call in the Bighorn’s first home games of 2023 against the Gillette Wild Friday and Saturday.
