When Things Get Hot, The Ice Patrol Steps In Section Leaders Keep Lid On Chiefs Hockey Games

A portly, barrel-bellied man got caught up in the heat of the action at a recent Spokane Chiefs game.

But it didn’t last long.

As he pounded the Plexiglas window separating him from his beloved Spokane Chiefs hockey team and their rival Kelowna Rockets, a petite, fresh-faced woman appeared from nowhere and interrupted his testosterone surge.

“I’m going to have to ask you to stop hitting the glass,” the woman said.

It didn’t matter to Carmen Rodriguez that the woolly man she was talking to was three times her size. She was just doing her job.

“Hey, I can’t be afraid of them just because they’re bigger,” Rodriguez said. “It’s the rule. You can’t hit the glass.”

The man stopped.

Rodriguez is one of 43 women and men who work as section leaders and earn $25 a game during Chiefs contests.

Their job is simple: Keep those in the front row from banging the glass and report to security those in the stands who get too rowdy.

“There’s a waiting list of like 40 people who want to do this,” said Angie Lorenz, supervisor of the section leaders.

“A lot of people who apply think this job is easy and fun,” Lorenz said. “Some apply because they think they’ll be able to watch the games.

“But that’s not always true. You’re running up and down stairs and crowd-watching for anywhere from three to four hours,” she said.

Still, Lorenz added, “It’s one of the most popular jobs we have.”

Against the Rockets earlier this month, it was a busy job.

Toward the end of Spokane’s 8-2 win over Kelowna, some Rockets players apparently figured, since they couldn’t whip the Chiefs playing hockey, they would at least try to beat them with their dukes.

And given that many hockey fans tend to be World Wrestling Federation enthusiasts at the same time, that gave Chiefs fans all the more reason to get worked up.

When the fights started, section leaders, clad in burgundy shirts and black pants, sprinted down the stairs to the glass and turned to watch the crowd.

“You pick up on the excitement real quick,” said 32-year-old Cheryl Smith, the oldest section leader. “You want to watch (the game), you’re into the excitement, but you also have to be on alert and watch your section.

“You always want to see our guys getting the best of the other team, but you’ve got to be mindful of the crowd and make sure nobody is getting the best of each other,” she said.

Section leaders also work on the Arena’s upper level to make sure debris doesn’t get thrown from the balcony onto the ice.

By the end of the game, the Rockets and Chiefs amassed close to six hours’ worth of penalty minutes, mostly for fighting. But section leaders reported no serious crowd problems.

With the exception of one plastic beer cup that someone threw on the ice, the fans were on good behavior. Lorenz said most Chiefs fans behave during games.

There wasn’t much of a need for section leaders in the old Coliseum, Lorenz said. But with a new building, Chiefs officials wanted to take care of the facility while attracting more families to the games.

Section leaders have worked at Chiefs games since the Arena was built. Crowd Management Services, which contracts to work security at the games, provides two nights of training at the beginning of every season.

Section leaders are encouraged to seek out security if a situation develops that one person can’t handle.

Smith and Rodriguez said they haven’t had problems with intoxicated or unruly fans.

Smith decided to apply for the position after attending games on a regular basis the past two seasons.

“It’s an exciting job,” said Smith, who works full time for Group Health Northwest during the week. “It’s a nice release when I get tired of sitting at my desk all week long.”

Smith said she hasn’t had any unpleasant encounters with fans. “They’re loud but not obnoxious,” she said.

She feels comfortable doing the job with all the security in the building.

“You’ve got a lot of backup from security and the service staff,” Smith said. “I don’t know if I would have done this if that wasn’t in place.”

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