For a long time, an Ottawa man has been entertaining kids and parents alike by playing his trumpet at minor-level hockey and ringette games played by his three children.
James Ikkers, a public servant by day, is well-known to local stadiums simply as 'the trumpet guy' playing the 'Dragnet' theme when a penalty is called or music from 'Empire Strikes Back' when his team scores among other music.
It began in 2009 when Ikkers was watching his daughter play ringette.
'I was in the stands, we were watching a game and I noticed some folks with some noisemakers and those plastic horns and I thought you know what? It's time to dust off the old trumpet and put it to good use,' Ikkers said.
He's since brought his trumpet to the hockey games played by his two young sons and he pledges to proceed as long as people greatly enjoy it. Furthermore, it appears individuals likewise appreciate it. In all the years he's been using the trumpet to cheer for his children, he said he's just been requested to stop once or twice by parents on opposing teams and when he once neglected to bring his trumpet to a competition in Guelph, Ontario, he rented one since he got so much flak.
'Fun is the first thing and what I realised once I started is you see the smiles on the kids' faces and that's worth a million bucks. And the smiles on the parents' faces and the entire atmosphere that it creates,' Ikkers said.
Ryan Ikkers (trumpet guy's son) said that he brings it to every game that he goes to and it just makes them proud that the trumpet man is his dad. And next year he is going to learn to play the trumpet just like his father because he wants to follow his dad's footsteps, and he just likes to play the trumpet.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
