TRI-CITIES, Wash.- The Tri-City Americans announced their 2024-25 season schedule with a fun twist. The team’s announcement featured re-draws of the Western Hockey League team logos drawn by students from William Wiley Elementary School.
The Americans shared the art to social media in order of the games they are playing this upcoming season. The artists were students from Mrs. Dennison’s fifth grade class.
The William Wiley and West Richland community continue to recover from the events of April 22, when paraeducator Amber Rodriguez was shot and killed on campus by ex-husband Elias Huizar. The Tri-Cities community rallied around the Rodriguez family and Huizar’s second victim, 17-year-old Angelica Santos, after their deaths. Local organizations and businesses held fundraisers and the West Richland Police worked with the school to bring in Polar the therapy dog.
“The community is a core part of our team’s identity,” the Americans’ front office said in a statement to NonStop Local. “The Americans players made an appearance at William Wiley in February and made a special connection with those students.”
The team said the students did an incredible job showcasing their talents to the hockey world and were thrilled to have the help with their schedule announcement.
The Americans’ season begins with three road games against the Victoria Royals September 20 and 21 and the Spokane Chiefs September 28.
