Lots of hockey playing kids are busy this summer playing baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer.  Check out all the current pictures here: http://eteamz.active.com/blackbearhockey/albums/
To get your cool pictures here just email them to Mike!  Email is on the sidebar.

The City of North Adams has taken over the management of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink.  Many  good things are planned for the 36 year old facility.

Thank you to Mayor Barrett and the City of North Adams in making this tremendous step to support youth and family recreational activities!!!!  The NBYHL is committed to making our skating rink a success!!!

In 2002, the league continued its analysis of ice usage and quality skating and hockey instruction.  The league agreed with USA Hockey's assessment that the game had to get back to its roots, whereas the young player enjoys and learns the game more quickly by actually playing the game in a smaller venue. Please check out this USA Hockey site for details: http://usahockey.com/servlets/FileServlet/relatedDocuments/ACBBDADFBDCF1019E034080020D8D313/Cross%20Ice.pdf

In 2003, the league designed and produced two full sets of cross-ice dividers to accomplish the goal of creating smaller playing areas.  Each divider is made of a foam padding, covered by a rugged vinyl with velcro fastening strips at each end.  An individual divider is 18 inches wide, stands 42 inches high and is 10 feet long.  Each divider weighs 35 pounds.  When eight dividers are connected, they stretch across the ice to form a sturdy free standing wall the same height as the dasher boards.

The dividers have afforded the coaching staff a useful tool in getting the most for the players out of ice rental time.  In some instances, the divider walls are set up on both blue lines allowing  for skating and hockey instruction in the middle section while four on four games are being played in each end zone.  

Other times, a single wall is erected at the red line creating two distinct practice areas, which is especially effective for the younger mite and squirt skaters.  With the wall in place, the players and coaches have very little distraction from the other group and everybody benefits.   

Last season, the dividers were used effectively during the weekly house league three on three games as well as a rink sponsored three on three mini-mite tournament.

The league will continue to improve on creative and fun ways to learn ice skating and the game of hockey with the help of its cross-ice divider systems.