Ep. 5: Jay Croop

On April 30th, the Columbus River Dragons won the first hockey championship for the Fountain City in 9 years. There was plenty of excitement when the new hockey franchise was launched in 2019, but this was the pinnacle moment for the players, coaches and fans. In the newest edition of the On Your Sidelines podcast, Sports Director Rex Castillo and Weekend Sports Anchor Jack Patterson sit down with player/coach Jay Croop about his journey to the 2021 Ignite Cup Championship and how he knew that this version of the River Dragons had the talent to win it all from the very beginning. We’ll also talk about Jay’s journey as professional hockey player, which was a dream of his since he was just 2 years old. Croop dubbed Columbus as the “Hockey Town of the South”, he absolutely loves playing in front of the fans here in the Fountain City. He now calls Columbus, GA his hometown and wants this hockey franchise to be a permanent part of this community. “You know I plan on staying here forever. I never want this team to move and I hope that it never does. You know we’ve created something here, you know the front office and everyone involved, has created something that I cherish and love personally. I’m going to do everything that I can to keep the team here.” JAY CROOP, COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS PLAYER/COACH The On Your Sidelines podcast is the official podcast of the News 3 Sports team, and is hosted by Sports Director Rex Castillo and Weekend Sports Anchor Jack Patterson. On Your Sidelines will introduce viewers to the backstories behind the athletes, coaches and media personalities that call Columbus home. The podcast airs live every other Tuesday at 3pm Eastern at wrbl.com. Replays can be found in the Podcast Play Zone. Follow us on Social Media: News 3 Sports: Facebook | Twitter Rex Castillo: Facebook | Twitter Jack Patterson: Facebook | Twitter