Chatham-Kent locals were able to get an inside look at how the Sarnia Sting hockey team practices for games.
On Tuesday night, the OHL team held a practice at the Chatham Memorial Arena as part of their annual Community Tour.
The Sarnia Sting at Chatham Memorial Arena. November 29, 2016. (Photo by Natalia Vega)
"Knowing that our fan base doesn't always just come from Sarnia we wanted to reach out and thank those fans who make the drive in," says Matt Rose, corporate sales account executive for the team.
Among those watching the team practice was Ted Kirk, who brought his 12-year-old son Brody along.
"It's good for young kids that are coming out to know what they got to look forward to," says Kirk. "My son, he plays in Dresden and we brought him out here to see what it's like to see the big guys go at it."
Sitting at the top row, Brody says he loves the game, so it was exciting to be able to watch an OHL team practice.
"I think it's fun to watch," says Brody. "The fast-paced hockey is really entertaining."
After the practice, eager kids like Brody were able to get out on the ice and meet the team.
"We really do get a lot of good response especially from the kids," says Rose. "There's nothing like seeing the kids' faces out there when they get to skate with our players and [get] signed autographs."
Chatham is just one of the stops on the Sting's Community Tour. The team will be making one more stop in January, but the location has yet to be determined.
@StingHockey on the ice practicing here in Chatham. #ck #ohl pic.twitter.com/aPmwvOEUd0
— Natalia Vega (@Natalia94V) November 29, 2016