On the 13th day of September 2008, the West Michigan Phantoms celebrated the team's Sixth Birthday. It was back on September 13, 2002 that the Phantoms began playing hockey under the Phantom banner. Despite suffering set-back to the Rage by the final of 6-2 in that franchise opener at Rivertown Sports, the Phantoms have continued to push forward and have become not only the longest consecutively operating team in West Michigan, but one of the best. The former team's such as the Komets, Stick Heads, Rage, Vipers and Maly's are just a few of the teams that graced the rinks of West Michigan for several seasons when the Phantoms began play. However, those teams barely reached playing 10 consecutive seasons, let alone playing 23 seasons like the Phantoms. With the names like Matt Zehr, Nate Tyler, Brad Zehr, Gordie Anderson, Brett Smith and Casey Rosenberg etched into Phantom history, combined with those names like Chris Benedict, Jason Schemmel, Darren Skuse, Trent Kik, Tim Vanoverloop and other members that just recently joined the team, it is no wonder that the Phantoms have managed to reached it's Sixth Birthday. To date, 309 games have been played under the Phantom banner. That is a number that is truly an accomplishment to everyone who has wore the Phantom jersey. As to everyone who is a member of the team and those who have played in the past, I personally want to wish you a HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY!