Smith Named Bees No. 3 Most Popular Player

Published on October 3, 2007 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees News Release


Hidalgo, Texas --- The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees today announced that defenseman Darcy Smith has been selected as the No. 5 most popular franchise player of all time as chosen by online fan voting at www.killerbeehockey.com.

Smith will be among those invited back to the Dodge Arena on January 5, 2008, for "Five at the Hive Night." The Killer Bees will honor the fans' top 5 favorite players that night in a pre-game ceremony, among other events planned for the evening.

Darcy Smith (2003-06) - A quiet leader off the ice, and an imposing presence on it, Smith is second only to Bill Newson in games played (183) and Ryan Shmyr in penalty minutes (345) as a Bee. Smith's tireless involvement with community efforts led the franchise to rename the community service award in his honor upon his retirement as a player. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

Catching up with Darcy Smith

What do you do now?

I'm a safety manager for a construction company and an assistant coach with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology hockey team.

How do you like coaching?

It keeps me on an even keel because I miss playing the game. It gives me a chance to stay involved. I like working with the young players. I'm going to learn from it just like I hope they can learn from me.

Do you play for fun at all?

I play with my brother a lot in the Edmonton Rec hockey league with a Div. 2. team. I play once a week to get my fix.

What was life like for you as a Killer Bee?

I loved it. I was playing a sport I love with a great organization. The fans treated us unbelievable. They took care of us and cheered us on...it was good. I had lots of fun. It was a different experience that first year because most of the fans had to learn the game...it was interesting because they cheered the whole game. It made for a great atmosphere.

Are you looking forward to visiting the Valley?

I'm honored to be chosen as one of top 5 just as I was honored to be part of the inaugural season five years ago. I'm excited to see some of the people who have been there from day 1 like Jennifer and day Bucky. It'll be nice to see Sean (Gillam) and be able to sit down and talk about coaching now that we're on this side of the game. I know my girlfriend Roxanne and Sean's wife got to be pretty good friends so that will be nice to see them get together. I've not actually seen their son yet, besides a few pictures, so that will be a treat. I made some good friends over my three seasons there and it'll be nice to see everyone again.

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Central Hockey League Stories from October 3, 2007


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