Since way back in 1960, when the Muskegon Zephyrs took the ice at the brand new L.C. Walker Arena, Muskegon hockey has been a unifying force for sports fans in our community.

Bringing all the area fans together under one roof, to cheer for one team, is never an easy task, because in most cases their loyalties are very divided.

Some are Muskegon Big Reds fans, while others root for Mona Shores, Reeths-Puffer, Fruitport, Orchard View, Whitehall, Oakridge, or the many other high schools that field athletic teams in Muskegon County and beyond.

A lot of folks are Detroit fans, rooting for the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and Pistons, but we also have our share of Chicago boosters who love their Bears, Cubbies, Bulls and Black Hawks. That can cause some arguments among families and friends.

Then there’s the great divide that separates all of Michigan – Michigan vs. Michigan State. Like politics and religion, that’s a topic that’s sometimes best avoided in polite company.

But during hockey season, folks from all backgrounds and loyalties find their way to downtown Muskegon to continue the hockey tradition that’s been ongoing for more than 60 years.

The pro teams – the Zephyrs, Mohawks, Lumberjacks and Fury – have come and gone, and were replaced in 2009 by the new Muskegon Lumberjacks, an elite Tier 1 junior team that trains and develops some of the best young hockey talent in the world.

The young players have big dreams, but they are a long way from home, and it inspires and drives them to see so many fans from their temporary home city show up to cheer them on.

The venue has changed as well. The charming old hockey barn that was once the L.C. Walker Arena has been through several major renovations, and is now evolving into a modern sports and entertainment center that’s currently called Mercy Health Arena.

Regardless of all the changes, however, it’s still Muskegon hockey to local fans, and they come out every year, from fall to spring, to cheer for the team that brings us all together.

Some are the old-timers who have been watching the games for years. Some are the young adults and teens who enjoy congregating on the concourse while keeping an eye on the game. Some are the little kids who love to dance to all the music and see themselves on the video board.

At the moment they’re all excited about the Lumberjacks’ run through the USHL playoffs and bid for the first Clark Cup in team history. The Jacks easily eliminated Cedar Rapids in the first round of the playoffs, and now will host Dubuque in a very challenging conference semifinal series, with Game 1 slated for Friday night in Muskegon.

That will be the only home game of the series for the Jacks, and they are counting on their loyal fans to show up on Friday and make a lot of noise as they try to gain the upper hand on the Fighting Saints.

No matter how the playoffs go, however, the Lumberjacks know they will see the same faces again next fall when the new season arrives.

It’s the fans that make Muskegon hockey so special.

MuskegonSports.com photographer Jeremy Clark has spent the last few weeks wandering through the arena during games, doing nothing but meeting and taking photos of the fans who come out to support the team. The players get their faces in the media a lot, and Clark thought it was time for Jacks fans to get their moment of recognition.

So here’s to you, the hockey fans of Muskegon! Check out the photos below and see if you see yourself or anyone you know!

And go Jacks!