This week’s #FashionFridays is for the guys.
Why? Men love fashion as well.
BUT What do men love more than fashion? Sports.
Thus, I decided to combine the two for this week’s #FashionFridays.
Not only did I want to shed light on how sports can relate to fashion, but I also want to shine the light and introduce the DMV to people that are doing great things in our area !
World, I present to you the So Icey Boyz.
This is a group of professional businessmen that started a sports league. They play every sport from Hockey to Basketball. I had the honor of meeting the captain of the So Icey Boyz basketball team, Devon Leary. This was by far one of my most entertaining interviews. Make sure you stick around to the end of the interview for more about how you can see these boys “Keep It Icey”.
(pictured above: Devon Leary)
What is the philosophy of the So Icey team?
Our philosophy is, "If people aren't hating, then you must be doing something wrong." In each league we play in, the other teams are blown away by our jerseys, gear and overall swag. They love to talk trash, make fun and just hate on us because we always have new So Icey paraphernalia and have a bunch of chicks cheering for us on the sidelines. Haters are everywhere and are going to hate regardless, so if everyone likes you, that should be a red flag that something is up. It probably means you are not being yourself and trying to please everyone. So Icey doesn't play that. We don't care about what everyone else thinks and will continue to do what we do. We enjoy being the team with a target on their back that everyone loves to hate. It makes our games more intense because everyone who squares off against us wants nothing more but to beat us. Embracing all of these haters has brought us to the phrase, "Keep It ICEY," which all of us use. "Keep It Icey" is there as a reminder for how we should be conducting ourselves and making decisions on a daily basis. It reminds you that in whatever you do, you need to keep it ICEY and be yourself.
How did So Icey come about?
So Icey was created in the summer of 2010. My friend, Jack McKenna III, and I decided to start a basketball team because we wanted to order fresh, customized jerseys. At the time, we were listening to a heavy amount of Gucci Mane and decided to name the team the So Icey Boyz. The first game we stepped on the court with our black jerseys, but the other team was wearing dark blue. All of a sudden, we took off our jerseys and reversed them to the grey side. The other team was mind blown yelling, "WHERE DID YALL GET THOSE??" At that moment, I knew that the So Icey Boyz were going to be an elite franchise of athletes from the DC area that always have fresh gear.
What are the essential elements that someone must possess to be a part of So Icey?
Well, you are pretty much asking me, what does it mean to be ICEY? In order to be ICEY, you have to be a sweet dude that can balance the demands of a Friday and Saturday night in DC and his sports career. No matter what kind of shape you are in, you show up, ready to ball for your boys/ the So Icey franchise. You also must be dedicated to getting new, fresh gear on a consistent basis and proudly wearing it.
In what ways do you all inspire confidence in each other as a team?
I'd say that we inspire confidence in each other outside of games. The little things we do together keep our group close. After games, we love to grill and chill while enjoying each other's company. During the week, we train together and have a very active email chain that everyone chimes in on. We make plans to hang out and do team bonding, crack jokes, talk about the next game coming up and possible new gear. This kind of bonding week in and week out has given us confidence in each other during games. I know that if someone is going to take a cheap shot at me, my Icey boys have my back. We play for our teammates.
(The Team wore Brown Ribbons in honor of the passing of Devon’s Dog Rufus)
How do you choose captains?
I am the captain of the basketball team because I organized it and Iceyness runs in my veins. I take an extreme amount of pride in the So Icey name and being one of the leaders that keep us winning and at the top of leagues in basketball and roller hockey. Mike Kelly is the captain of the hockey team and I wear the "A" on my jersey for assistant captain. Mike was chosen as the roller hockey captain because he is a top notch roller hockey player who is able to organize and lead while keeping it Icey at the same time. He is a perfect example of a model So Icey boy.
What is the teams overall practice structure to prepare for games?
To prepare for games we caravan to the rink/court and bump extremely loud jams. Then, we go to 7-11 right before game time. Our whole team will meet, grab gatorades and bananas, and decide what kind of gear to show off that day.
What is a typical week for the So Icey Boyz outside of So Icey?
How the week goes for a So Icey Boy 100% depends on if we won or lost that weekend. If it's a win, when Monday hits it is a great feeling. All of the fans are contacting you wanting to know the details of the game. Your girl usually wants to hang out and hear all about it. There is a lot of buzz and excitement because the franchise took one more step toward a championship. If we suffer a loss, we all dread the week ahead. The fans are quiet because they know that So Icey takes defeat very hard. Your girl still usually wants to hang out because you are still extremely Icey but it is not the same. With the basketball season starting up on Saturday, our two sport athletes will have to be prepared for the intense emotions of 2 wins, 2 losses, or 1 win and 1 loss in each sport. Nonetheless, win or loss, during the week So Icey Boys stay Icey by rocking so Icey gear and promoting the franchise to everyone they come across.
How important is it to you all to look good as you play?
Look good, feel good. Looking good is a big part of our franchise. We always have new, top of the line jerseys and gear to wear during the week. We even have So Icey Koozies to drink adult beverages/ sodas in. We aren't shy and want people to see how much gear and swag we have. We play much better as a unit when we all know that we are rocking fresh gear. Many times during games I will remind the team of how fresh we look just to give them a little spark and reminder that we are ICEY.
If possible, where can people purchase So Icey paraphernalia?
We are currently working on getting a section on our website where you can order our gear. Our website is www.soiceysports.com. It features our roster, personal profiles and videos, game footage, post game interviews, and a section that shows where so Icey boys have traveled. Our website also has links to our YouTube channel and twitter page. The website and twitter are always updated so our fans always know what is going on with So Icey.
I admire how passionate Devin is about the So Icey Franchise. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it.
The boys are gearing up for basketball season this Saturday, January 12,2013. Check out the So Icey Boyz website to see where you can get more information on their games!
So Icey Boyz Information:
http://www.youtube.com/user/SoIceySports
www.twitter.com/soiceysports
L O V E,
MISS.CNH