I’m a Kings Ice Girl; You can be one too

Published Jun. 18, 2012 4:07 p.m. ET

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I can't say for certain what has drawn you to read this article.

Maybe you've caught a case of curiosity and are interested in broadening your random knowledge, or maybe you're an individual hoping to attend this year's auditions and are looking for some insight.

Or maybe you just want to see pictures of Ice Girls.

Either way, I hope you are intrigued.

The story of how I found my way onto the ice crew is slightly different than most, since a majority of my teammates were all raised around hockey and were mostly already avid Kings fans. I myself was three months fresh into my big move to Los Angeles, coming from Kansas City, a town with no hockey team. I came across the audition notice on a casting site, the details were pretty vague, but included high energy and sports, so it sounded like a good enough fit. With nothing to lose I showed up at auditions, no skates in my hand, no hockey knowledge, just a big smile, big dreams and an open mind.

Having played nearly every sport from ballet to football, I assumed it was safe to say I had covered most of my bases and could be considered athletically well-rounded, though I had left hockey out of the athletically rounded equation.

Now, coming to the end of my second season with the Kings Ice Crew, not only have I genuinely fallen in love with the sport, but also rekindled those emotions I had adored for much of my life, the feeling of being a part of a team.

Laced in the lining of our uniforms is a dose of pride - once you put it on, the pride soaks through your skin, reaching your blood, where it flows powerfully. Relatable to a superhero outfit that transforms the subject into something greater than your day-to-day self. When you wear that logo you are representing not only yourself, but an entire organization, counting on you to be their advocate in the community.

It is our duty to connect with current fans, to fill that link between themselves and the team they adore, as well as create a pleasant experience to non-familiar King fans in hopes of creating new fans. We do this through various community appearances, reaching nearly 400 a year. Any given day you may find yourself at a blood drive, book reading, after-school program, festival, parade, marathon, golf tournament, talking on the radio, making a cameo on the news, or even riding a roller coaster - and no that's not a typo. Glamorized brand ambassador cheerleader super fans I believe would be the appropriate job title.

When it's game time, we're ready to show our spirit by helping out with various in-arena activities and promotions including t-shirt tosses, ticket upgrades, prize giveaways and trivia contests. Then there is the important element of keeping the ice as snow free as possible during the game. There is a surge of adrenaline every time your skates glide onto the ice as you burst out of the Zamboni tunnel. You don't witness the energy in the arena, you genuinely experience it.

So the boys are playing on the road, what now for the fans? No need to fret, the Ice Crew's got that covered with our official watch parties filled with prizes, giveaways and a good time surrounded by fellow Kings fans. It's pretty impressive to walk into a restaurant on a weekday and see the entire place filled from front to back with Kings fans, just as pumped and ready as you are to cheer their team on for a win.

Including watch parties, nearly all of our events contain some type of involvement with raising money for Kings Care, the non-profit organization of the Los Angeles Kings. The record was broken this season when over $1 million was raised for Kings Care. It is an honor to know that you played a substantial role in helping reach this total by you and your teammates helping to collect thousands of dollars at watch parties and tens of thousands in calendar sales alone plus a handful of various other involvements throughout the season.

Although primping and prepping for every event and staying physically uniform-ready can be demanding at times, it is worth every canister of hair spray purchased and every one of those extra reps at the gym. This is not just a paycheck, it is a privilege. With a job such as this, stakes are high and job security is definitely not used in the same sentence. Each year we are required to re-audition for the team, and as this exciting and memorable season comes to a conclusion, it's that time of year again for us Ice Crew to begin focusing on auditions.

If you're a poised individual with a big personality and great work ethic this might be the job you've been looking for. Yes this job creates an impressive stamp on your resume, but it more so creates memories that will last you a lifetime, friendships you will hold onto and a plethora of experiences most would only dream of.

Hope to see you at auditions. Remember to bring your best foot and be prepared to skate it forward, this city is the sports and entertainment capital of the world, we're looking for the talent to match.

For audition details visit www.lakings.com/auditions.

-Arsee

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