Belleville Sens giving young players a chance to ‘play like the pros’

Have you ever wondered what it is like to play pro hockey? The Belleville Senators’ latest activation for community groups and minor hockey teams can give you the experience of taking the ice at the CAA Arena with all the fanfare of a full AHL hockey game.

If it is part of an AHL game, it will be part of your package. The experience begins immediately. Players see their names appear in a special program when entering the rink. Attendees enjoy professional game presentations during the game, including PA announcements, music, and video board graphics. In addition, coaches get a chance to tread the same bench as head coach Troy Mann, while friends and family can cheer on their hockey heroes live from the comfort of the stands.

It’s a rarity for a professional organization to open its main facility to fans on game day. Account Executive Alex Siragusa notes that the activation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“We want to offer an experience to minor hockey groups that’s different from anything they’ve experienced before. We offer a full game-day experience with music, the lights, PA announcements, three stars, and anthems.”

“We’ve had really positive feedback. It’s great to hear,” Siragusa said, “most of these kids are young and they come out and watch our games. I hope they wish that they could have this experience, and if we can offer them something like that and have them come back, that’s all we can ask for with the times we’ve been through, and having this experience available to people is really awesome.”

The Belleville Jr. Bulls U11 AA, Keene Wolverines U11, Napanee Crunch U7, Napanee Stars U8, and Quinte West Hawks U11 claimed their ice time earlier this season and undoubtedly enjoyed their hockey experience.

Organizer Dan Cuthill for the Napanee Crunch U7 girls Fundamentals Program said the experience is sure to be one they’ll never forget.

“It was awesome. The kids had so much fun. He continued on the importance of having a local AHL team. “It’s been great for the Crunch organization. It’s been awesome to have the Belleville Senators give us this opportunity, and you can see how excited the girls were.”

“In years past we’ve done some experiences, and just want to get the kids engaged. We have 40 girls in our program and are growing each year, and it’s a great experience to have something like this to come to and get them more engaged in hockey.”

While Siragusa has been pleased with the early responses he has been receiving, he is constantly looking to improve and expand to allow more groups to participate as health regulations allow.

“We’ve started picking this up again,” Siragusa said. “Next year, we will be able to expand, not just minor hockey, but to schools and other groups. We just started to introduce every signal player, before they get on the ice, which I think makes the experience so much better.”

Remember, it’s not too late to organize your ticket drive (100 ticket minimum) and claim your game day experience from the Belleville Senators. Applications for Play like the Pros can be found on our Minor Hockey Programs page. 

Single-game tickets for the remainder of the 2021/22 season can be purchased online via Ticketmaster, or you can click the following links for more information on season tickets, flex packs, and group tickets, with box office hours available at bellevillesens.com.