Lions celebrated in snow sculptures

HARRISON TOWNSHIP/ST. CLAIR SHORES — Metro Detroit residents are showing their support for their Detroit sports teams by creating sculptures depicting famous players and mascots this year.

Jamison Agnello, a Harrison Township resident, started making snow sculptures when he was a kid. His dad, Michael Agnello, taught him how.

“He’s always making crazy wild stuff,” Agnello said.  “I don’t think my whole life we’ve ever made a three-ball snowman.”

Agnello said his friend interviewed a person at a Rochester bakery. For the last couple of weeks, a large cake of Detroit Lions player Amon-Ra St. Brown stood in the bakery’s window. Agnello said his friend asked him to create his own rendition of St. Brown in his front yard.

“And then said, ‘Hey, if by chance we have a good snowfall, make this for me,’” Agnello said. “My buddy just asked me. No real inspiration.”

He said all of his snow creations take around two hours unless they are smaller.

When they get the right snow, he calls his wife and kids on the way home. Once he arrives, his family is already waiting for him, making snow sculpting a family tradition. Agnello said both of his parents inspire him to do things.

“I feel like I grew up having just about the greatest childhood ever and all my memories of it are, are of doing things,” Agnello said. “You know, being outside building stuff, creating things.”

Agnello said that though he is not a die-hard fan, it’s incredible to see the Lions go this far.

“I can’t wait to see what happens,” Agnello said.

Patty Kirk, a St. Clair Shores resident, said her family makes snow sculptures for fun. One year, they created a bunny for Easter.

“I think it’s something we’ve just elaborated on over the years, you know, each time we make (a) snowman or sculpture, we make it a little bit better than the one before it,” Kirk said. “So pretty self-taught.”

They have a lot of fun making the snow sculptures. They’ve been a Detroit sports family for years.

“My husband’s been a Pistons fan for years and years,” Kirk said. “Likewise, with them doing well as well this year, it’s been pretty cool.”

Kirk and her daughter created the snow sculpture, making it a family tradition for them. She hopes future generations carry that on.

“I think it’s something that is free and fun to do and in wintertime in Michigan, there’s not a whole lot of that,” Kirk said.

Kirk is really excited for the Lions game on Sunday.

“I actually manage a sports bar,” Kirk said. “So definitely exciting and a lot of fun with them in the playoffs.”