Tomahawks in the Community Update: Johnstown Halloween Parade

Oct 25, 2012

Tomahawks in the Community Update:
Johnstown Halloween Parade

For more photos from the night, visit our Facebook page here.

By Suzanne Grove

The Tomahawks can never forget about hockey for too long. Or about their game-day routines.

While waiting for the Johnstown Halloween parade to begin, many of the players formed a circle to play a slightly-modified version of sewer ball, which many of them participate in to warmup before games outside the team's locker room at the War Memorial Arena.

Using a beach ball that would later be tossed into the crowd of fans lining downtown's streets, the guys were all smiles and laughter as they kicked, head-butted, and hit the inflatable, trying to prevent it from touching the ground. The Lady Jets, who play hockey as part of a program designed for young women and girls, even got in on the action. Their float was stationed next to the Thomas Buick GMC truck that would carry the Tomahawks, so the guys invited them to join in on the fun.

The team paid tribute to Johnstown hockey history and the movie Slapshot with their attire: They wore thick, taped, black-rimmed glasses and foiled their fists, recalling the look made iconic by the Hanson brothers in the movie.

While waiting to make their way down Main Street, the players also chatted, interacted with Chopper, and danced and sang to the music pumping out of the truck's stereo speakers. Jaycob McCombs proved to have some advanced and stylish dance moves.

The players, who have been vocal about how happy they've been with the community's support of their team, were once again blown away by the number of fans calling their names and shouting out cheers of "Let's Go Hawks!" as they passed. Many of the players couldn't help but smile when fans asked for autographs, made declarations about their favorite players, and wished the boys good luck on their upcoming road trip. Captain Mitchy Kontny even answered the requests of his fans, giving out hugs and a high-five or two along the route.

With the weather's cooperation, it was a perfect night for the parade and another wonderful opportunity for the players to share some quality time together and meet their fans. Young children calling out for Chopper and telling various Tomahawks how excited they've been to watch the team play at home served as just a few of many moments over the past months that have made it clear that Johnstown deserves its descriptor as a big hockey town and one that will throw its support behind the young men who are working hard to live their dream.