GANGNEUNG, South Korea — A group of young skaters have wowed the crowds here with their speed and agility on the ice at the Olympic figure skating venue. But they aren’t competing.

The skaters stealing the show are known as the flower kids, a team of 17 purple-clad South Korean children in charge of collecting the hundreds of toys, bouquets and other items that the crowds toss from the stands to their favorite Olympic figure skaters on the ice.

The mostly female crew (there is only one boy) was recruited from competitive ice skating programs around South Korea. The flower kids, also called sweepers, stand out not only for their matching lavender outfits — color coordinated with the rink’s purple Zambonis — but also for their quickness and skill navigating the ice. During competitions, the sweepers sit in a group at the edge of the rink, clapping to the music and cheering the athletes. As soon as a figure skater finishes a routine, the sweepers zip onto the ice, scoop up any items tossed by fans and quickly race back to the edge, where the items are bagged for the skater.