When the Windsor Spitfires hit the ice against some of the best Ontario Hockey League teams in the west, the Spits sometimes draw up to 6,500 fans to the WFCU Centre.
Thanks to a new co-operative collaboration between the Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club and St. Clair College, there will be extra staff on hand this season to ensure a positive fan experience for all those in attendance.
Second-year students enrolled in St. Clair College’s Police Foundations and Protection, Security, and Investigations (PSI) programs are getting the chance to apply for jobs with the Spitfires organization as crowd management staff for the upcoming season.
“Their role is to be an extra set of eyes and ears and deal with crowds at the WFCU Centre and other events and to assist in the game day operations where needed,” said Ed Marocko, a professor and the program coordinator for Police Foundations and PSI.
Eager to develop a talent pipeline in the community, the Spitfires will be hiring five students into these crowd management positions for the 2024-2025 season.
The students will be part of a team which ensures the safety and security of all spectators during games and events. The successful candidates will assist with crowd control, managing entry and exit points, as well as responding to any conflicts or disturbances in a professional manner to maintain a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for spectators.
“The Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club continues to look for ways to enhance the fan experience at our hockey games through effective planning, organizing and implementation of the game event,” said Stephen Savage, co-owner of the Windsor Spitfires.
“We have always had a great relationship with St. Clair College and so it was natural for us to explore potential learning and recruitment opportunities,” Savage said. “Access to the program’s students provides us with the most current skills and approaches to produce a superior game experience for fans of all ages.”
This isn’t the first co-operative collaboration between the Spits and St. Clair College. Last season, the OHL club teamed up with the College’s Sport and Recreation Management program, creating two staff positions for event management, with roles in guest services and hospitality.
“This relationship served the needs of the students allowing for hands-on learning in the event and venue management industry,” said Savage. “They brought a fresh energy and perspective to event management planning and helped keep the Windsor Spitfire fan experience on the entertainment leading edge. It was a successful program for both the organization and our fan base.”
It was thanks to this proven platform and positive experience, according to Savage, that the organization looked to expand the partnership through other programs at the College.
“They know they're getting good quality students and we've created that rapport,” said Marocko, who adds this co-operative paid opportunity helps both the Spitfires and students by providing real-world experience in an exciting and dynamic atmosphere.
“It speaks to conflict management. It speaks to de-escalation techniques, good communication and customer service,” said Marocko. “That's what we're trying to develop, those competencies and skill sets where students can be at their competitive best when they graduate here and when they go into the hiring process for law enforcement jobs.”
As Savage points out, both initiatives require interested students to apply for the positions and go through an interviewing process, providing them real-life job search situations.
“Our students are eager to get out into the community and to build those competencies and skill sets required for jobs in law enforcement,” Marocko said.
