The Ice Flyers are embarking on their fifteenth season right here in Pensacola with the intention of honoring native historical past and looking forward to a vibrant future. The group is able to sustain the momentum from final season and appears ahead to offering nothing however the perfect for his or her loyal followers.
Director of Advertising and marketing and Operations for the Ice Flyers, Brenden Arney mentioned the group is specializing in storytelling and game-day expertise. “With our storytelling, we need to give an inside look to our reference to our metropolis and followers, harness a number of the roaring feelings that our sport cultivates and inform our season’s story by capturing and sharing all of the blood, sweat and tears that include the pursuit of one other championship,” Arney mentioned.
Whereas the Ice Flyers workers is already extraordinarily happy with the gameday expertise supplied, they’re by no means happy. This yr, followers will be capable of play new cellular video games that may win them prizes throughout the matches, take part on thrilling intermission contests and be part of an immersive expertise.
Whereas constructing out the theme night time schedule, Ice Flyers workers have made it a precedence to incorporate a themed recreation for everybody. Followers can count on to see the return of their favourite themes, a handful of brand-new themes and twists on a number of the fashionable classics.
Talking of canine, the Ice Flyers are additionally welcoming a brand new group pet this season. Buccella is a three-month-old male labrador-golden retriever combine. He’s proudly named after beloved participant Dan Buccella, who handed away from leukemia final November. Greg Harris, the proprietor of the Ice Flyers, mentioned it was necessary to hunt the blessings of Dan’s spouse and oldsters earlier than naming the pet. “I reached out to every of them, explaining our intention and leaving the ultimate resolution as much as them,” Harris mentioned. “All of them have been deeply moved by the gesture and wholeheartedly agreed that it could be an unimaginable tribute to Dan. With their blessings, we then reached out to Canine Companions to share our plan on naming our future service canine after him.”
Canine Companions is a nationwide group that enhances the lives of individuals with disabilities by offering extremely skilled service canine at no cost to the recipient. Canine Companions canine are bred particularly to be service animals. Every canine undergoes six to 9 months of superior coaching. Buccella shouldn’t be the one Canine Companions pet to hitch the group; a pair years in the past, the Ice Flyers welcomed Ranger into their lives. Weston Cramer and LeAnne Pickering, volunteer pet raisers, skilled Buccella to be a future service canine. Buccella is Cramer’s fourth canine and Pickering’s thirteenth. Canine Companions is certainly one of many nonprofit organizations that the Ice Flyers companion with.
In keeping with Harris, making a constructive influence on the local people is deeply ingrained within the Ice Flyers’ core values. “We’re extremely grateful for the overwhelming help we obtain from our devoted fan base, who additionally contribute to the betterment of our neighborhood,” Harris mentioned. “We’re dedicated to increasing our help by collaborating with numerous nonprofits, guaranteeing that our attain extends to totally different causes and demographics.”
This season, the Ice Flyers plan to proceed the custom of designating every month to a particular charity. Moreover, there will likely be a number of alternatives throughout video games and organizations to fundraise, and they’ll proceed to sponsor numerous native occasions. “Our aim is to leverage our platform and sources to enhance the lives of as many people in our personal neighborhood as attainable,” Harris mentioned.
The group can even be welcoming Gary Graham will likely be returning because the group’s head coach, marking his first time again since bringing the group to a SPHL championship again in 2013.
For tickets and to view the complete schedule of season video games, go to iceflyers.com or take a look at @pcolaiceflyers on Fb and Instagram.
