Thunder Moms Have Spirit

It was a typical November night in the Village of Garden City.

Typical that is unless you heard the honking of a vuvuzela, the ringing of a cowbell or the hysterical laughing of some pranksters. Or maybe perhaps you saw the rather large limousine driving through the village's quiet streets.

This was not the sight of our local teenagers getting into some juvenile mischief, but instead a limo filled with some local moms - Thunder moms that is. To acknowledge their five-year career with Thunder, the idea of decorating the boys' houses with toilet paper was thrown around at one of the team’s games. The idea was well received by the eager moms and the plan was underway.

After many emails to and from the moms from the TP chair including a tutorial on how to toilet paper a house and tips on making a special poster, which had to include glitter, the night finally arrived.

The ladies met in a local parking lot wearing sneakers and Thunder attire with posters, refreshments, cameras and lots of toilet paper in hand. Minivans would not be the choice of travel for these ladies - only a suped up limo Escalade fully equipped with strobe and laser lights, moon roofs and lots of speakers.

The limo was loaded up and the journey began. It was apparent after the first house that the ladies read the tutorial and worked out their arm muscles, because toilet paper was cascading from the trees and hung garland-style from the bushes. Each of the 31 houses was completely and carefully decorated and a poster was taped to each front door. The moms did not leave their targets quietly, but instead shook a cowbell and blew a vuvuzela, which could be heard blocks away.

The Garden City police department was called to one scene only to be pleasantly surprised to find the Thunder moms and not a bunch of hoodlums. With a big smile, a shake of his head and a “have fun ladies” the officer was back on his way. Despite being tired and having toilet paper elbow, sore legs and laryngitis, the moms had a memorable time and the boys have a lasting memory of their Thunder moms on that Saturday night in November.

Perhaps this will become a new Thunder tradition?

The Thunder 11s had a win the next day, went on to win the playoff game against Hempstead and ended the season with a championship win against Uniondale. Way to go Thunder!