DAVID HUNTER, Post Contributor
Posted: Thursday, July 22, 2010 3:17 pm

The Nashville Predators hopefully made some new young hockey fans on Tuesday at Patterson Park.

Murfreesboro Extended School Program along with the NHL team partnered up for a Street Pride Hockey Event inside the center’s gym.

The event was a part of the Summer Break Sports Camp that took place July 12 to July 15. About 60 kids from the Bradley Academy ESP and Patterson Park ranging from age eight to 8^th grade took part in the Street Pride Hockey Program.

“They were really excited to have the Predators come,” said Kim Dabney, Murfreesboro City Schools ESP Community Outreach and Public Relations coordinator. “They had never been to a game before.”

A couple of members of the team’s staff taught the students on how the street hockey equipment works and how it’s made. They brought along street hockey sticks, pucks, goalie equipment and nets.

The students listened patiently to the lecture. After the equipment speech, a puck control relay race took place that taught the students how to handle the puck while moving quickly around the cones. Then it was time to break up into two teams for a street hockey game. Each goalie wore the proper gear and everyone else played the other positions.

When, the puck was dropped and play began, the students battled for the puck. While, the ones waiting their turn to get into the game was making as much noise as heard at a regular Predators contest.

Both teams were moving the puck up and down the floor trying to score and then a special guest showed up.

The team’s mascot Gnash decided to join in the game. As soon, as the kids got a glimpse of the friendly saber-toothed tiger their noise seemed to reach all the way to the Bridgestone Arena, where the team plays their home games.

“Being able to bring him out, it is a rewarding feeling to see those kids light up,” Andee Boiman, Amateur and Youth Hockey Manager of the Predators said.

A few minutes later, the game ended, but each student received a free ticket to a game and a book that explains the hockey’s rules.

Last season, some other ESP students attended the Predators Halloween game, and they got to dress up in their costumes.

The Street Pride event was a part of the Predators Hot Shots Summerfest Tour in which the team makes several stops around the Middle Tennessee area.