AUGUST 2019 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM
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"USAHOCMAG"
WHEN THE ST. LOUIS BLUES
brought the Gateway Locomotive
special hockey program into the
fold in 2017, they threw them a big
welcome party. But it was nothing
compared to the party the NHL
team threw after winning the first
Stanley Cup in its 51-year history.
And helping them celebrate
were members of the Blues
Special Hockey team, who joined
other youth hockey players to
lead the victory parade through
the streets of
St. Louis all
the way to the
famous Arch
where the team
held a rally for
500,000 fans.
"It's been a long time coming.
I didn't think I'd ever see it," said
Jim Hermann, a loyal Blues fan
who has been involved with the
special hockey program since its
inception in 1994.
This year Hermann and his group
celebrated their 25th anniversary,
which was their second season
skating under the Blues' banner.
"They treat us like we're part of
the family," Hermann said.
The Blues have long been
known for their support of grass-
roots hockey in the area, as a
number of alumni remained in
the area after their playing days
ended and continue to give back
to the local hockey community.
So when it came time to cel-
ebrate with the Cup, the team
invited every
youth hockey
team to send a
small group of
representatives
to join in. As
for the Blues
Special Hockey team, every player
was invited to attend, and nearly
every one of them did.
"I can't say enough about the
Blues organization," Hermann
said, "not only for what they do
for us, but for every youth hockey
organization in the area."
A Special Day For
St. Louis Hockey
COMMUNITY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF Jim Hermann
