Jacksonville Icemen Ride the Wave of History, Become ‘Cowabungas’ for a Night

The Jacksonville Icemen traded their usual hockey gear for a unique, surf-inspired identity, transforming into the "Cowabungas" for a special home game against the Orlando Solar Bears on Friday, January 9. This one-night-only event celebrated both the city’s historical roots and its vibrant beach culture, featuring custom jerseys and a memorable on-ice spectacle.

Key Takeaways

• The Jacksonville Icemen adopted the alternate identity of the "Cowabungas" for a single game.
• The new identity blended the city’s historical "Cow Ford" origins with its modern surf culture.
• Special jerseys featured a unique crest with a surfing bull and a color scheme that playfully clashed with the opposing team.

A Nod to Jacksonville’s Past

Before its official founding in 1822, the area where Jacksonville now stands was known to Indigenous peoples as Wacca Pilatka, a crossing point for cattle on the St. Johns River. English settlers later simplified this to "Cow Ford," a historical detail that inspired the "Cowabungas" moniker.

The "Cowabungas" Jersey Design

The custom jerseys for the "Cowabungas" were a striking navy blue, accented with teal collars and orange and teal striping. The main crest was a playful design featuring a bull wearing sunglasses and shorts, riding a surfboard and making a "shaka" hand gesture. The outline of Florida was cleverly incorporated into the bull’s tail. Additional logos, including one with the bull emerging from a roundel and a "Cowabungas" wordmark on a surfboard, adorned the jersey shoulders. The numbers on the jerseys were in a bold script font, with sleeve numbers in orange with white outlines and back numbers in white with orange outlines.

A Colorful Matchup

Wearing these distinctive jerseys against the Orlando Solar Bears added an interesting visual dynamic, as the Solar Bears also incorporate teal and orange into their team colors, with their shade of purple being close to the Cowabungas’ navy blue base.

More Special Jerseys This Season

The "Cowabungas" transformation is part of a series of special jersey nights for the Icemen throughout January. Earlier in the month, they sported sweaters celebrating their affiliation with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. The team also plans to honor the 1990s with Jacksonville Lizard Kings jerseys on January 23 and 24.

Sources

• Surf’s Up! ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen Become the Cowabungas For One Night Only – SportsLogos.Net News, SportsLogos.Net News.
• surfing – SportsLogos.Net News, SportsLogos.Net News.