Hockey is my favorite sport. I have never played the sport, unless you count floor hockey played in my freshman gym class, but I love to watch it, listen to it, and talk about it.

So, how did a girl who adored George Brett and the Royals in her childhood become a fan of what could be a bloody and brutal sport? Simple answer to that question is the Kansas City Blades. Chances are if you are reading this, that very team made you a fan of hockey, too.

The first time I went to a hockey game, it was a Blades game. I am fairly sure it was during the 1992-1993 season. I went with the AFS group from my high school. There was one kid, who happened to be from Canada (or that is what I remember hearing at least), who seemed to know everything going on and had come dressed in a jersey and armed with a horn. It was an interesting evening at Kemper Arena, but I really had no clue what was going on that night. It was just so fast. I do not even remember if the Blades won or lost, but there was just something about the speed of the game and the feel of the building that intrigued me.

As it turned out, my mom had a friend at work who was a regular at Blades games and knew a few players personally. So, as a family, my mom, my sister, and myself attended more Blades games during the 1993-1994 season. At first my mom did not seem to enjoy the games. But, at some point, the tide eventually turned. My mom ended up getting us season tickets for the 1994-1995 season.

That 1994-1995 season was also my senior year of high school. It was magical. I learned the rules of the game, the way many people learn languages. Simple immersion. We would hang out after the games at Replay’s or in the North Tunnel and collect autographs from our favorite players. And I did not just stop at collecting autographs. I collected sticks, pucks, buttons. I collected anything that had to do with my favorite team. The stick collection started when my mom picked up our season tickets and watched the Blades morning skate. She uncovered my first treasure, a broken goalie stick. That first stick had belonged to Corwin Saurdiff. I still have it, as well sticks from Dody Wood, JF Quintin, Chris Tancill, and Larry Dyck…just to name a few.

As you know from your fandom or from checking out the site, 1994-1995 was not only magical for me in growing my love of the game and the team, but it was also truly magical for the Blades when they made their Turner Cup run. There were incredible games on that run. I was there for all the home games. I also had the amazing privilege to go on a road trip to see their first two games in the series against the Peoria Rivermen. It was an amazing experience

Even though the Blades did not win the Turner Cup that year or any year that I was part of their fandom, they had my heart and made me a hockey fan. And while they closed shop in 2001, I still love the game and I still love the Blades. Every fall, I long for those good old days…the chill of the air in Kemper, the smell of the fresh sheet of ice, and the sounds of the rough, tough game of hockey complete with PA announcer Steve Garrett’s “Ladies and gentlemen, Kan-sas City goal!” I carry those memories with me. I plan share those memories along the way in this blog.