Can't Beat Junior Hockey
I spent the weekend flying to and from Fort McMurray to call a game between the hometown Oil Barons and visiting Okotoks Oilers.
It had been three seasons since I called an Alberta Junior Hockey League game and it didn't take long for me to remember why I spent a year and half driving from small town to small town broadcasting hockey games, or why I spend most of my free time working with Hockey's Future Radio.
I had spent the past couple of seasons working on the Lethbridge Hurricanes radio broadcasts and I'm pretty sure I lost my appreciation for the junior hockey game...or I guess I should say the junior hockey atmosphere.
On Saturday night in Fort Mac, Thickwood Heights Arena was simply packed...capacity is listed at 2300 but there must have been atleast 2500 fans stacked to the rafters, anxious for the boys in Blue and Gold to drop the puck on the home portion of their 07-08 sked.
I would much rather be stuck in the corner of an arena calling a game where I have to lean over to see the far end of the ice when I know that everyone at the game is there because they care for the club and the community, not just because it's something to do.
The atmosphere in Fort McMurray is similiar to that in Moose Jaw or Swift Current where the team is actually the "town's team". I don't think I could ask for much more and I'm stoked to be moving to a city where both the players and more importantly the fans show passion for the game.
One man who probably understands what I'm talking about is Swift play-by-play man Jon Keen. He's got a blog on the go now and it's defintely worth checking out, he's been on HF Radio in the past and will surely be on the show once again when we re-launch in October. But for real...check out his blog.... http://www.jonkeen.blogspot.com/
And if you are ever in Fort McMurray swing up to the broadcast booth at Thickwood Heights Arena....I'll be there with my stats, my equipment and most importantly my heart...because when you love hockey....there is nothing better then a junior game in an arena that is clearly over the max capacity limit and people are worried that the Fire Chief will come in and shut the place down...ofcourse he's a season ticket holder in row 1....so you don't have to worry.
Take it easy!
I spent the weekend flying to and from Fort McMurray to call a game between the hometown Oil Barons and visiting Okotoks Oilers.
It had been three seasons since I called an Alberta Junior Hockey League game and it didn't take long for me to remember why I spent a year and half driving from small town to small town broadcasting hockey games, or why I spend most of my free time working with Hockey's Future Radio.
I had spent the past couple of seasons working on the Lethbridge Hurricanes radio broadcasts and I'm pretty sure I lost my appreciation for the junior hockey game...or I guess I should say the junior hockey atmosphere.
On Saturday night in Fort Mac, Thickwood Heights Arena was simply packed...capacity is listed at 2300 but there must have been atleast 2500 fans stacked to the rafters, anxious for the boys in Blue and Gold to drop the puck on the home portion of their 07-08 sked.
I would much rather be stuck in the corner of an arena calling a game where I have to lean over to see the far end of the ice when I know that everyone at the game is there because they care for the club and the community, not just because it's something to do.
The atmosphere in Fort McMurray is similiar to that in Moose Jaw or Swift Current where the team is actually the "town's team". I don't think I could ask for much more and I'm stoked to be moving to a city where both the players and more importantly the fans show passion for the game.
One man who probably understands what I'm talking about is Swift play-by-play man Jon Keen. He's got a blog on the go now and it's defintely worth checking out, he's been on HF Radio in the past and will surely be on the show once again when we re-launch in October. But for real...check out his blog.... http://www.jonkeen.blogspot.com/
And if you are ever in Fort McMurray swing up to the broadcast booth at Thickwood Heights Arena....I'll be there with my stats, my equipment and most importantly my heart...because when you love hockey....there is nothing better then a junior game in an arena that is clearly over the max capacity limit and people are worried that the Fire Chief will come in and shut the place down...ofcourse he's a season ticket holder in row 1....so you don't have to worry.
Take it easy!
posted by Dustin Nielson @ 10:42 AM
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