Photo with Jamie Woodman at the final home game of 2023.

I bleed red, white, and blue, with a heartbeat that thrums along to the soundtrack of Thunderstruck – by Aidan Pasznicki

I’m writing this on the plane as I am flying back from my first-ever (and definitely not my last) AIHL finals.

I really don’t know where to start with this. This team, the players, fans, atmosphere at the games… It was love at first sight. I can now say I bleed red, white, and blue, with a heartbeat that thrums along to the soundtrack of Thunderstruck.

So how did this all start? Well, sheer accident, and a whole lot of luck.

I first got the itch back during the start of the COVID pandemic. Being fresh out of high school, looking for work and further studies, and with a recent fallout with my high school mates, I needed something to take my mind off things.

I got recommended an online webcomic to check out. With hockey as the main plot, I found myself intrigued by the concept of the sport. I had been to Cockburn Ice Arena a few times, so I knew that I would need to check out a game as soon as I could get out and go to the rink.

That did take a few months to happen, but that first game was something special. While it was not a Thunder game, it featured many of the iconic players in a speciality Charity game for the bushfires that we had back in 2021.

It was at this game that I was fortunate enough to sneak a last-minute bid in to win one of the team captain game jerseys. I ended up walking away with Jamie Woodman’s yellow and black jersey, which has since been signed and framed.

First game watched. Photo with Jamie Woodman and his game jersey.

To me, the thing that stood out compared to the other sports and events like this I go to is that Jamie cared that I took my time as someone who had no idea what was going on and was uncovering my new passion. He was happy to stay back and chat with me, and was more than happy to take a few photos.

I got home that night and knew that this was the missing spark I had been looking for.

From there, I went down the rabbit hole of researching, uncovering and turning over every single stone and little thing I could get my hands on that was hockey related. This is when I found out we had the Thunder. Every year since then, I waited for the team to return to the league. 

Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to find the NHSL and PHL leagues set up during COVID to keep me occupied for the time being. I still have a replica of Jamie’s Adelaide Avalanche jersey – both home and away – and will never forget that All-Star game I wore that jersey to. Jamie flagged me down before I was even in the building!

Photo with Jamie Woodman at the Ultimate Ice Hockey Showdown back in 2022.

This was at a game during the lockdowns over east. I was wearing his Adelaide Avalanche Jersey

I can say that, Jamie, if you are reading this, you completely fried my brain that night, and you made me feel welcomed as a fan of hockey.

As for the Thunder…

Well, my first full season was in 2023. From the dates the games were announced, and my membership was delivered, I knew that I needed to not only be a loyal fan, but I also wanted to give a small token back to the players.

So that is EXACTLY what I did!

I know my way around media and graphics, so I knew that I could create something, and as British comedian Joe Lycett states in some of his shows: “Sometimes if you want something to exist, you have to make it yourself.”

I was in his comedy show here in Perth, and my mind clicked. It’s nice to get a hat or jersey signed, but what about a custom-made trading card?

Photo with trading cards. Jordy Kyros and Rob Haselhurst

Photo with Rob Haselhurst and his trading card set. 2025

I spent all of my spare time researching the team players’ stats and began drafting a design that I wanted to look sleek and modern. I still use that design in my creations.

After close to 1200 hours up until today, I had my first set done. Not only did I achieve something that when I set out, I thought was impossible to complete in that tiny timeframe, but I also created something that the players loved.

While I have slowed down in production and creating additional cards, I continue to make special milestone cards, with Lynden, Kieren, Rob, Jake, and Jamie, all receiving them done up in specialist card holders. 

The 2023 season was the year I found the players that stood out above the rest in my eyes. And I was able to take a Jersey home from each of them. Starting with Yannic Lodge in the Donate Life game.

Receiving that Jersey centre ice was something special!

Photo with Yannic Lodge centre ice. 2023 Donate Life jersey handover

Following up on that was Lynden’s indigenous round jersey, which is my favourite of the collection. Cassandra really knocked this one out of the rink!

Photo with Lynden Lodge centre ice. 2023 Indigenous jersey handover.

Photo with Lynden Lodge. 2024 Retro jersey.

To top it all off, I won Woodman’s home jersey for that season too!

While 2023 was a fantastic first season for me, I knew that I was only getting started with my love for the team.

In 2024, I ramped up my support and dedication to the team, including my first-ever trip to Melbourne to watch the Thunder play against the Mustangs and Ice at the start of the season.

That was pretty special!

Being able to sit right behind the bench and cheer on the team as we destroyed the Mustangs, but were graciously defeated by the Melbourne Ice.

Photo with my younger sister taken in Melbourne in 2024

I was unable to attend the finals that year in Melbourne, but caught the finals watch party in Varsity. From that moment on, I knew 2025 was going to be the year I would make the Finals trip.

Reflecting on this Finals trip, I have to say, while it did hurt watching the Ice take and hoist the cup, I look back and see what a fantastic run we had up to the loss in the semi-final against the Brave.

I’m still getting the heebie-jeebies and eye twitches thinking about them!

Being able to bump into the team every now and then. Standing on the stairs near the goal horn or behind the goals. I felt like I hadn’t in a long time!

The dopamine rush was real!

I continuously had to remind myself that: “I am here, this is real, we are pushing ever so closer to that magical run.”

I had a smile from ear to ear that did not disappear until the final siren of that semi-final game. The Finals are on a different level from any other games, and this is an experience I will never miss again.

Photo with Jordy Kyros. Taken in 2025.

If you can get out there, just go. Book it! You won’t regret even a millisecond.

I cherish and fly the Thunder colours at every chance I get. My current Thunder motto is: If I’m not in a Thunder Jersey, I’m either stuck in my tablecloth of a work uniform or in a Thunder shirt.

I completely rebranded my Gran Turismo E-Sport car with Perth Thunder artwork, names, and branding, including a few completely made-up brands that nod back to some of my favourite players, and even Jordy and Jamie’s own businesses.

In a stroke of luck, it races under the Thunder Motorsport name and was car number 27 well before I found the Perth Thunder!

The Thunder Motorsport Ford GT LM GTE in the 2025 Paint scheme.

My jersey collection is filling up with Thunder jerseys (18 at the time of writing this), and I rave about the team at work all the time.

I can’t thank the club, players, volunteers and sponsors enough. The Thunder pulled me back out of a spiral that I could see myself starting to get into.

I feel so welcome to be a true fan.

Group photo taken before game 1 of the AIHL Finals.me 1 of the AIHL Finals.

-Aidan

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Thank you for sharing this heartwarming story with us, Aidan. Looking forward to running into you again at a Perth Thunder game.

Do you (fan, player, rookie, parent, partner, anybody) have a story to tell about your journey with Perth Thunder? No matter how big or small it is, please DM me on Facebook or send me an email.

If you’re not comfortable with writing it yourself the way Aidan did so sincerely, just send me a bunch of bullet points and I’ll weave them together for you.

Theavdhoogt@gmail.com

Thank you for banging the glass with me! I hope you enjoyed it.