Insider Behind the Scenes with...Naomi DeuFriend

Game Operations

She is a familiar face at the NYTEX Sports Centre. If you don’t know of her, you haven’t been around the Brahmas long enough. Naomi DeuFriend is one of the longest-serving members of the Brahmas organization. She was a part of the original Fort Worth Brahmas in their first season of existence. The next season, under a new ownership team, she joined the staff in July of 1998.

DeuFriend has previously served as Director of Operations and Community Relations. During her time with the organization, she has performed many functions including, but not limited to, overseeing and implementing all of the Brahmas community relations programs, including the Blacktop Brahmas Summer Tour and the JPS Hospital Healthy Goals events. She also coordinated and executed Brahmas’ player appearances. In addition to her role with the Brahmas' community events, DeuFriend has previously been responsible for all of the Brahmas box office operations, including season ticket distribution and group ticketing functions.

She left the Brahmas as a full-time employee after the 2005-06 season when the Fort Worth Brahmas took a one-year hiatus as the organization looked for a new venue to play in. Now with the Brahmas on a part-time basis, Naomi works in game operations and can usually be found in the "tunnel" at the Brahmas bench entrance on game nights.

I spoke with Naomi recently about her time with the Brahmas organization. Here is our conversation.

Q: You’ve been with the Brahmas organization since day one; how did you come on board?

A: I had worked with the (Fort Worth) Fire and the ownership group that had come over with the Brahmas was kind of not happy with the Fire. They liked what I did, they liked my work ethic or whatever, I’m not exactly sure and they asked me to come on board with them. When they had problems after the first year, the league asked me to stay along to kind of create a sense of oneness, at least at some point, and I’ve managed to stay on with it ever since.

Q: So on board comes a guy named Mike Barack. What did you think of Mike when you first met him?

A: Intense (laughing). Intense, and he had a lot to learn about Texas culture and he still does, and he’s trying very hard to learn. I think that his wife, Michelle is helping him kind of subdue things a little bit. There’s one thing you can say about Mike, is he’s very, very passionate about hockey and he does not understand why everybody doesn’t love it as much as he does.

Q: He’s very passionate about his people too. A couple of things I notice about Mike’s management of the Brahmas is number one, he wants to provide a great fan experience and number two, his people are gold…

A: He’s very loyal to his people. He’s very, very nice. He will do whatever he can for you. He’ll help you out in every way he can and any way the organization can help you out. He’s good to work for, again, he may drive you a little crazy from time to time. He does the fans, he does the staff, that’s just him, that’s just his personality, but he’s got a heart as good as gold and God bless him and Stuart for keeping this all going.

Q: Like the fans, you’ve been through a lot with the Brahmas organization over the years, certainly a lot of ups and downs. I’m sure it’s been a pretty good ride. Now comes the NYTEX group and new head coach Dan Wildfong. In the history of the Brahmas, the team and the organization are probably at its best. Would you agree?

A: I would. We’ve been very fortunate. Along the way we’ve had some really great coaches. Now you’ve got a young coach who’s come in; he’s got the fire, he’s still got the tenacity, he’s still got that playing spirit. He hasn’t been coaching so long that he hasn’t lost touch with what it’s like to be a player. So he still has the intensity of a player; he still wants to win. He can’t go out there and play, but he’s going to try and motivate his guys as much as possible. He’s hungry, very hungry, and that makes his guys want to work for him a little harder, too. It’s a good fit, I think. He’s hungry, Mike is hungry and it’s worked out really well. I know people were really nervous about Fonger coming in but it’s worked out really, really well.

Q: Is there any thing you miss about the Fort Worth Convention Center and Will Rogers?

A: I liked working with the people that were at the (Fort Worth) buildings. The people here are really, really good to you. You ask them to help you out and the nice thing about NYTEX is because we’re all owned by the same people, they’re all for the same thing, they YOU to succeed, they want your organization to succeed because if the Brahmas succeed, they’re going to succeed and if they’re doing good with the Brahmas, they can bring these other organizations in. So, it bodes well for everybody. The more we can all work together, the better package deal we have, the more we can bring in for everybody to make this WHOLE facility a more family-oriented thing than just all about the Brahmas.

Q: Would you say that working with all of the people throughout the Brahmas and NYTEX organizations is more like a family thing?

A: It probably is because you know you’re going to see the same people every time. You don’t have shows moving in and out and not knowing who’s going to work with you. You know you’re going to be working with the same people the whole time, because again, we’re all here at the same time. This is their full-time job, they’re not subbing in and out with different events, and you know that you always have staff at this arena to help whenever you need help, versus the convention center and Will Rogers where they would do whatever they could, but because they had other events going on, you weren’t the only thing there. Here, because we’re all for one and one for all, you know that we’re all going to be working together.

Q: What do you think of the fans here at NYTEX, you know, most of the Brahmas fans are the same Brahmas fans who have been around for a long time, the 303 Rowdies go back forever…but what do you think of the fan atmosphere here versus in Fort Worth?

A: Because it’s a more intimate arena, you feel more a part of the action because you’re so much closer. There are no nose bleed seats; every seat here is a good seat and everybody gets a chance to be involved. It’s so much more intimate. The guys can hear you more here and the fans can create more of an awareness that’s positive for our team and hopefully, you know, helping to negate the good things going on for the other team and bring them down. It gives us a positive attitude and keeps us winning. So the team aspect, the fan aspect, it’s all a good thing because it’s so much closer to you.

Q: As far as the Brahmas last season, nobody knew what to expect, we were all just happy that the Brahmas were back. Yet, it turned out very well; it was quite an incredible ride and we were really a game away from the big show. This year, it’s actually getting better…

A: I know; it’s a nice thing…

Q: You can look back at last year, and assume the same thing is going to occur, in that a strong team is going to go into the playoffs and knock on wood, it’s going to go at least as far as it went last year. How do you feel after all these years with the Brahmas, being on board, while all of this is happening? It’s a pretty exciting time really…

A: It is and it’s like a re-birth, just like when the Brahmas came in the first time. They took a year off so it’s all new again. Again, you’ve got the fire, you’ve got the determination, and you want to see things go well. And this time actually, we are doing well at the very beginning and not having a rough season. It’s been very nice having a few guys come back, which helps a lot because the fans can identify with them and they’re considered the home guys now versus “Oh, I remember them from the other team, yeah, yeah, yeah.” Now, they’re their guys again, so it comes back to be more of a family thing and it’s much easier for the fans to come and support someone that they know.

It’s definitely looking good sitting here in first place right now. You know I’m sure the guys are a little bit looser, and so they’re having a little bit more fun with it now. It’s still a game, it’s still their job but maybe they can take a half-breath and enjoy it, which is good.

Q: In the old says, I would have said if the Brahmas can get to and/or win a championship, but now I say when the Brahmas get to and/or win a championship. When it happens, how are you going to feel, personally?

A: Anytime you’re with an organization, we’re not out on the ice, but we’re still a part of it, it all been a very positive thing and for the fans, they’ve stuck in though thick and thin… (Tearing up) so it’ll be very, very good for them.

Photo Credit: Robert Keith