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Independence, MO —
Four years ago, Ron Clemons didn’t know the Central Hockey League existed.
Now, the former Truman High School journalism instructor and his wife Molly are Missouri Mavericks season-ticket holders who simply can’t get enough hockey – even when it’s 97 degrees outside.
The Clemonses were one of seven couples who signed up for the Mavericks’ Innovative Insider Dinner Series that takes place each Tuesday of this month.
It allows 26 fans to visit with coach Scott Hillman and members of the Mavericks staff in the team locker room, following a catered dinner in the President’s Club.
“There isn’t another team in the league that offers anything like this,” Hillman said as he walked through the crowd shaking hands and greeting each of the insiders. “We’re one of the few teams in the league that have about a 50/50 split between male and female fans. Sometimes, the husbands bring their wives to the games, but we’ve found a lot of ladies bring the men to the game.
“And we’ve got about a 50/50 split tonight for our opening Insider Dinner Series.”
There were many familiar faces, including sponsors Al and Jane Boeck, owners of the Dog Obedience Group.
“Al and I didn’t want to get out on the ice at the Fantasy Camp, so this was the perfect opportunity for us to get an inside look at the team and see what it’s all about,” Jane Boeck said. “We like to stay up on things, and this is a great place to do it.”
Molly Clemons, a former Independence school district administrator, added, “I’m interested in learning about the rules and the penalties. We like to use something like this as a refresher for the upcoming season.”
Ron Clemons glanced at the crowd heading into the Mavericks locker room and said, “I’m the type who likes to get lost in a crowd, and this is a small group, but I think it will be interesting.”
He won’t get lost in this crowd – and that’s the way the Mavericks plotted the series.
“We want this to be up close and personal,” Hillman said. “Each fan gets his or her own jersey, a playbook and a really nice prize when it’s all over. As I look around the locker room and see couples doubled up in some lockers and extra folding chairs added because of the demand, I’m just overwhelmed.
Four years ago, Ron Clemons didn’t know the Central Hockey League existed.
Now, the former Truman High School journalism instructor and his wife Molly are Missouri Mavericks season-ticket holders who simply can’t get enough hockey – even when it’s 97 degrees outside.
The Clemonses were one of seven couples who signed up for the Mavericks’ Innovative Insider Dinner Series that takes place each Tuesday of this month.
It allows 26 fans to visit with coach Scott Hillman and members of the Mavericks staff in the team locker room, following a catered dinner in the President’s Club.
“There isn’t another team in the league that offers anything like this,” Hillman said as he walked through the crowd shaking hands and greeting each of the insiders. “We’re one of the few teams in the league that have about a 50/50 split between male and female fans. Sometimes, the husbands bring their wives to the games, but we’ve found a lot of ladies bring the men to the game.
“And we’ve got about a 50/50 split tonight for our opening Insider Dinner Series.”
There were many familiar faces, including sponsors Al and Jane Boeck, owners of the Dog Obedience Group.
“Al and I didn’t want to get out on the ice at the Fantasy Camp, so this was the perfect opportunity for us to get an inside look at the team and see what it’s all about,” Jane Boeck said. “We like to stay up on things, and this is a great place to do it.”
Molly Clemons, a former Independence school district administrator, added, “I’m interested in learning about the rules and the penalties. We like to use something like this as a refresher for the upcoming season.”
Ron Clemons glanced at the crowd heading into the Mavericks locker room and said, “I’m the type who likes to get lost in a crowd, and this is a small group, but I think it will be interesting.”
He won’t get lost in this crowd – and that’s the way the Mavericks plotted the series.
“We want this to be up close and personal,” Hillman said. “Each fan gets his or her own jersey, a playbook and a really nice prize when it’s all over. As I look around the locker room and see couples doubled up in some lockers and extra folding chairs added because of the demand, I’m just overwhelmed.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – we have the best fans in the CHL. And they keep proving it year after year after year.”
As the Mavericks enter their fourth season, there’s a real buzz at the Independence Events Center. Not only is this the first week of the Insider’s Dinner, Fan Fest is this weekend from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
“We’re hoping for some big announcements this weekend,” Al Boeck said. “They usually save some of the big announcements for Fan Fest.”
Over the next four Tuesdays, the insiders will learn about the history of the CHL, how a team is put together, they will get an up close look at the Zamboni and how the ice is put down in the Events Center, and Hillman will conduct a no-holds barred Q&A that is open to any question.
“We want this to be something our fans remember for a long time,” Hillman said. “With this series, we want them to feel like they have total access to the Missouri Mavericks.”
