Hanging with their heroes: Chiefs players skate with young fans at Riverfront Park

The Spokane Chiefs can typically be seen racing down the Spokane Arena ice barreling into opposing players and winding up for violent slap shots.

On Tuesday night, they traded their aggression for friendliness and gracefully skated alongside young Chiefs fans at the Numerica Credit Union Skate Ribbon in Riverfront Park.

Carter Streek, a Chiefs forward, was one of the players dressed in their red Chiefs jerseys taking laps with children around the rink – teaching those who were struggling on the ice and getting to know them.

“We’re still kids, and it’s really cool to see everybody come out and support us,” Streek said. “If you watch a Chiefs game, night after night, our fans are always the best.”

A long line of eager children and their parents wrapped around the east end of the rink waiting to skate. Admission and rental skates were free to the first 300 people. Numerica partnered with the Chiefs and Riverfront Spokane to put on the event.

Besides skating, players and the Chiefs’ mascot, Boomer, took photos with young skaters, several of whom wore Chiefs gear.

Kolette Larsen, donning a red Chiefs jersey, brought her 5-year-old niece out to skate. Larsen is a section leader at Chiefs home games and said she enjoyed interacting with the players Tuesday.

“Getting to see their real personalities come out is really nice,” she said.

Larsen said her niece, who is learning how to skate, skated with Streek.

“The players are actually wanting to skate with people instead of just like, ‘We’re here to be here,’ ” she said.

Streek said it was fun interacting with the children. He said he idolized hockey players growing up in Canada.

“It’s kind of cool to see it come full circle and see little kids look up to us and us kind of be role models for them,” Streek said.

Ted Matteson and his 9-year-old son, Hayden, were a couple of the hundreds of people who showed up.

“Just skating and meeting the hockey players” was Hayden Matteson’s favorite part of the night.

Sarah Herrmann said her son, Ryan, who dropped in to skate Tuesday, plays for the Spokane Jr. Chiefs and her brother is a former Chiefs player.

“It’s just so fun to be part of the hockey community and skate with the Chiefs,” Herrmann said. “He loves hockey.”