A Mississippi RiverKings hockey game is a lot more than ice and sweat.
Fights break out between players in opposing teams, dancers strut their routines, RiverKing employees toss team t-shirts, and fans line up for autographs.
The fight between players are fan favorites, and players sometimes embrace the energy, as well.
“Sometimes it is just easier for two guys to go at it,” said goalie Adam Courchaine.
Spectators like the confrontations, too.
“My kids always like to come to hockey games to see the game, but they especially like when fights happen too,” said Karen Laney, who is a mother of two.
Despite the fights, RiverKings players give much attention to their young fans off the ice rink. As the team enters the locker room after each period, children of all ages line up to greet the players with high fives and big smiles.
“My little boy Aaron likes to come and watch the game every chance he gets,” said Ashley Knight.
Sometimes, hockey can be dangerous sport even for fans. Walking in to the ice rink, employees stand on every entrance holding a sign that states, “Please STOP. Puck in Play,” to help prevent injuries.
“We take all precautions needed in order to keep everyone away from danger,” said Don Walker, a Landers Center employee.
Along with watching hockey, RiverKings games offer fans plenty of other activities. RiverKings dancers, hockey players, and employees offer a variety of entertainment that peak the interests of all different ages.
For instance, the RiverKings dancers are college students who perform pom, jazz, and hip-hop in the aisles during the game and after the second period on a carpet on the ice.
“We perform one dance per game, but also dance along the aisles throughout the game,” said Megan Bryant, a freshman at the University of Memphis.
Along with Bryant, Memphis students Hannah Joyner, Devon Inghram, Angel Clark, Hillary Burns, and Beatrice Davis also dance for the hockey team. They are coached by Daly Foncfree, who graduated from the University of Memphis in 2013. Along with coaching the dance team, Foncfree often comes back to the university to dance and choreograph for the dance department.
The 23 dancers practice on Monday’s and Wednesday’s for two hours at Jane’s Gym. Lucky enough, they are able to choose what games they perfom at, with every game having at least eight girls dancing and performing.
The RiverKings will have more home games in the month of March, which is the last month of the season this year.
Before games, the dancers also mingle with fans from a table set along with the hockey players. Many young girls idolize the dancers and often ask for pictures with the young women. “I think they are pretty and I like their pom poms,” said 4-year-old Elizabeth Andrews.
