Tampa Bay Lightnings Biggest Fan
Jacquelyn Hebard is a 22-year-old nursing student at the Galen College of Nursing. When shes not studying for her online classes in the fall, she is cheering on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although Jacquelyn was born in Chicago and has lived in Singapore and Seattle, her heart has always been with Tampa as the Lightnings number one fan.
Who is your favorite player on the Tampa Bay Lighting and why?
My favorite player is Brayden Point because he is really fun to watch since he is one of the best players. I also like him because he contributes to the team a lot by scoring goals almost every game. Hes also not terrible to look at.
When did you decide to be a Tampa Bay Lighting fan and why?
I became a Tampa Bay Lightning fan because I've lived in many places but since I’ve been living in Tampa for a while I decided to become a fan. My parents are also huge Lightning fans and they watch the games even though they live in Singapore.
What was it like when the Tampa Bay Lighting did not win game 5 of the finals which would have guaranteed the Stanley Cup win?
It was definitely a bummer when the Lighting did not win game 5 because my friends and I were all watching the game and we had really high hopes. But, I knew we would come back and win game 6 and watching them take home the cup was one of the coolest things that has happened in Tampa.
What emotions were running through you when you got to watch the Lighting win the Stanley Cup, especially because you live in Tampa?
I was so excited when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup especially since they haven’t since 2004. It was really fun to be at the bars with all my friends when they won because the whole place went crazy. It was even cooler to go to the parade a few days later because I got to see my favorite players on the boats and even saw the Stanley Cup. With COVID-19 currently being an issue, taking home the Stanley Cup definitely brought some excitement and happiness to Tampa.
How did you feel that COVID-19 restrictions prevented you from attending in-person games?
I was really sad that we couldn’t go to the Amalie Arena to watch the games especially because this is the year they won the Stanley Cup. My family usually buys season tickets but COVID-19 restricted us from being able to have them this year. I’m just glad they at least won and it was still fun to watch every game on TV with my friends.
Interview has been edited for brevity, clarity, and style.
