Oakland Bears Community News

#15, Summer 2024

Summer 2024

It's summer. Try outs are over and I hope everyone made the team of their choice. If you didn’t, it’s important to not get discouraged. Keep grinding and know you’re not alone. Many players have been cut from teams and gone on to play at a high level. Adversity fosters resilience. Persistence pays off in time. It’s all part of the journey.

Despite being a slower time of the year I’ve got several updates to share. Come August, you can expect the newsletter to hit your inbox on the regular monthly schedule.

Be sure to read to the end to see a amazing highlight goal from a Spring hockey tournament.

Tier Hockey in Oakland

It's exciting to watch Oakland grow it's tier program. The Bears have declared 18AA, 16AA and 12AA teams for the 2024-25 season. There will also be A/BB/B teams for 10U, 12U and 14U as well as Jamboree teams for mites with travel team aspirations. Oakland has the facilities, the coaching and even enough goalies if you can believe it. The Bears and Oakland Ice have plenty of room to continue expanding. New players are always welcome!

Solar Panel Repair

Rink renovations are ongoing. On May 28th, OIC General Manager Glenn Martin unveiled his plan to repair the solar panels on the rink’s roof. Yes, the rink has solar panels! Unfortunately, they’ve been in disrepair for over a year, leading to increased power costs. Given the rising PG&E rates, it was crucial for Oakland Ice to restore the panels to working order. The City of Oakland has approved the plan and provide funding to update the solar panels and conduct additional roof maintenance. You may have noticed the fenced-off employee parking lot, now serving as a storage area for construction materials. The 372kW system should be back online soon. The OIC staff is also planning to replace the aging inverters with modern equipment this fall. Besides the environmental benefits, the solar-powered rink will free up additional capital for future renovations.

A New Gym

Speaking of future renovations, have you seen the fencing on the upper levels at the rink? As part of Oakland Ice’s commitment to player development and the Bears youth hockey program, the rink staff is installing new gym facilities. The gym will feature equipment like squat and bench racks, slam balls, dumbbells, kettle bells, stationary bikes, and more. The rink staff plans to open the gym in time for the fall season, with dedicated access times for travel hockey players and ice skaters. The Oakland Ice team is also exploring offering memberships to parents and adult league players. Perhaps pedaling on a stationary bike would be a healthier alternative to sitting in the stands, beer in hand, watching our kids for countless hours each season.

Inside Out 2

Oakland’s own Coach Tracey Roberts played an integral role in ensuring that hockey was accurately represented in the new Pixar movie, Inside Out 2. Read more about her significant contributions and be sure to see it this summer.

Summer Off the Ice

While summer offers the opportunity for some ice time, I hope everyone is also enjoying the diverse experiences that come with the season, whether it’s traveling, camping, swimming, attending summer camps, or participating in other sports. Summer break is the perfect time to recharge, ensuring your family is ready for the upcoming season.

As our young athletes mature, it’s fascinating to observe how much they grow and evolve over the summer, especially when you’re not seeing them on a weekly basis. The kids become taller, faster, and stronger. Skill gaps close as late bloomers hit their stride. Puberty manifests at different stages, and the individual skills that coaches have been emphasizing all season start to combine in new and unexpected ways.

It’s crucial for young athletes to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle during the off-season. Adopting healthy habits during this period will yield significant benefits in the fall. Remember, the off-season is not just a break from the sport, but a time to build strength and skills for the next season. Enjoy your summer, and stay active!

Content Contributions

I’m always on the lookout for Bears team content. If you or someone you know captures a fun moment on video let me know. I’d love to add it to the Bears YouTube channel or share it with the community in an upcoming newsletter.

I’ll see you at the rink,

Jason Dearborn

Bears hockey dads and coaches tailgate outside the CAHA Adult tournament in San Jose. We may not have won much on the ice, but we’re undefeated at tailgating.

12U players putting in work at Oakland @Hogfarm Fitness in the off-season.

Bears player Nicolas “Bursey” Burciaga  surprises everyone, including himself with a Michigan goal.

The mission of the Oakland Bears Hockey Foundation (OBHF) is to support and grow the sport of hockey throughout the Oakland area.  We believe:

⦁ Hockey is for everyone

⦁ Economic factors should not prohibit youth involvement in hockey

⦁ Sports foster important life skills in youth of any age

Your Donation at Work

When you donate to OBHF, your generosity helps pay for scholarship players’:

⦁ Ice time

⦁ Travel tournament costs

⦁ Equipment (for teams and individual players)

⦁ And more!

Donate Now

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