Flyers Fever

The only thing missing from Thursday afternoon's Gwyn-Nor Elementary School Flyers-Phantoms assembly program was the ice.

Everything else was there; the brilliant sea of orange, black, whitye and purple; the hockey uniforms; Phantoms mascot Phlex; and even former Flyer and current Flyers Ambassador of hockey, Bob "The Hound" Kelly.

The school did not win a contest and the hockey teams weren't there to recruit young players.

Kelly, along with Phlex and Rob Baer if Flyers Fan Development, were there to share a formula for success - T.E.A.M, or Teamwork, Education, Attitude and Motivation.

The 2:15 p.m. assembly started sounding like a read hockey game, as kindergartners through fifth-graders clapped and chanted "Let's Go Flyers - Let's Go !"

Good thing every student in the room was a Flyers fan.

Baer told the students how the Flyers and Phantoms work together for success, pointing out how 15 Phantoms players that were called onto the Flyers this year.

"We are one big fanily and we work together," Bear said. "It is really important for us to have teamwork. The only way we reach goals is for all of us to work together."

Baer introduced Kelly, who played for the Flyers for 10 years, won two Stanley Cups and was part of the undefeated 1980 team that went 35 games without losing.

In between speeches, the group showed video footage of the Flyers and Phantoms and it all had a purpose.

Kelly related a clip of hockey players fighting to real life, telling the students that those who fight get into lots of trouble.

He then aked the studemts the most important thing to remember on a sports team, and got varied answers: teamwork, good sportsmanship, never give up and cooperate.

"The number one thing is respecting yourself," he said. "Respecting yourself and respecting each other goes into building a good team."

Kelly stressed the importance of making decisions in life, and urged students that if they lead by example, others will follow.

When he asked for a volunteer to show the stduents the components of a hockey uniform, every hand shot into the air.

Every component of the uniform has a purpose and a role, just like every component of a sports team works toward respect and success.

"Ever tried at something your hardest and failed ?" Kelly asked the crowd. "You are allowed to fail, provided you find out why you failed. If you fail and you correct the problem, you will have a stronger person."

Baer then told the students to remember T.E.A.M. He told them to always do their best and work hard to inspire each other.

"Give it your all and that's how a team comes together," he said. "Realize how important it is to do other things for people. What goes around, comes around."

Jennifer Kron, the Flyers' publicity director and Rob Baer, the Flyers' Fan Development director, show off story on the team's School Assembly program that appeared recently in the North Penn Reporter, a Philadelphia suburban newspaper.
The team has reach more than 19,000 students during the course of the 2005-06 season.