The Kenai River Brown Bears Junior A Tier II hockey organization announced on Monday that it will cease operations at the conclusion of the 2016-17 regular season in the North American Hockey League.
Press release from Brown Bears General Manager Nate Keil…
Soldotna, AK – The Kenai River Brown Bears have announced that they will cease hockey operations for the 2017-18 season. According to General Manager Nate Kiel, the team was granted inactive status by the North American Hockey League and will not compete next season.
The Bears, operating out of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex and in their tenth NAHL season, have faced considerable challenges ever since the Alaska Avalanche left Wasilla in 2012 and moved to Pennsylvania. As the footprint of the NAHL grew, the Bears travel budget increased substantially, forcing them to compete against teams from across the country. Kiel cited the dissolution of the league’s western division and subsequent direction and growth of the NAHL in recent years as the prime factor impacting the Bears’ operating budget. “The downturn in the Alaska economy has compounded our overall problem and a combination of these factors ultimately led to our decision.”
Kenai River has nine remaining home games, beginning this weekend on Friday and Saturday night against the Minnesota Magicians. The last home game for the Bears is March 25th against the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Knights.
GM Nate Keil provide bullet-points highlighting the 10-year history of the Kenai River Brown Bears and spotlighting the difficulties faced running a Junior A program.
Brown Bear program details…
– The dissolution of the Western Division brought new financial challenges.
– A program that was already battling to stay in the black was now faced with tremendous increases to our travel budget.
– Unlike other teams in our league and others, we do not travel by bus, except to get to Anchorage where we then have to travel by jet. With the loss of the Western division, we were forced to travel further distances, even to teams in faraway states like Texas and New Jersey.
– To compound matters, we paid the lion’s share of expenses to bring opponents up here for games.
– Each year we would weigh whether or not we could reasonably sustain the Bears for another season.
– Over the past two years, expenses continued to grow while fundraising and sponsorships began to fall off. Many continued to support the program but at a lesser rate, sighting a slow economy.
– Many individuals have made tremendous sacrifices over our 10-year existence. What made the Bears great was the enduring commitment and positive attitude of our volunteers. Not only was “volunteerism” expected and practiced by the young men in our program, but we employed the same concept in carry out many of our team’s functions. For instance, a typical game night requires more than 25 volunteers to run successfully.
– While announcing our inactive status for next season was an extremely difficult decision, we feel consolation that the program was of great benefit to our community.
– Thanks to our fans
– Thanks to our sponsors
– We will be considering all options, but we feel that without a western division it is unrealistic that the Bears or any other team will return to Soldotna in the near future.
The Bears have a great home stand to end our season, with nine games in the month of March, and our parent and billet recognition weekend during the final series on March 24th and 25th .
History and accomplishments
– Brown Bears founded in 2007-08 by Barry Schoenly, who continues to serve as a director on the KPYF board today.
– The non-profit Kenai Peninsula Youth Foundation formed the following year
– Over ten years the community stepped up in support of the program with over 30 founders and over 100 sponsors.
– Over the past nine years we placed over 50 players into NCAA colleges and others into pro leagues.
– One player, Andrej Sustr, (2008-09 Bears) even made it to the NAHL, and plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Another Brown Bear, Kris Oldham may be in a Tampa uniform someday, as he was drafted by the Lightning.
– Many great players have come through the tunnel at SRSC, like Brett Lubanksi, the Bears all-time leading scorer.
– Over a dozen peninsula locals had the opportunity to play junior hockey for the Bears, in one of the best leagues in the country. Former Brown Bear star Brad Duwe is ending his career with the Division I UAA Seawolves, and recent star Zack Zulkancz now plays pro hockey in the Federal Hockey League. Current Brown Bear Preston Weeks, is a top college prospect at only 16 years of age.
– We won volunteer organization of the year from both the Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce
– We produced an NAHL scoring champion, Alec Butcher
– Dominic Granato, son of retired star Tony Granato, earned the Academic Achievement Award for the entire league.
– The Bears made citizenship and community service a hallmark of our organization’s goals, donating time, effort, and resources to a myriad of other local non-profit organizations and causes. Some even received donations earned through special edition jersey auctions, where fans would bid hundreds of dollars to win a player-worn jersey. The examples of organizations and causes are numerous, but to name a few; CPHF cancer awareness, US Marines Toys for Tots, Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, LeeShore Women’s Resource Center, Kenai and Soldotna Senior Citizens, Kenai Watershed Forum, the Kenai Peninsula Boy’s and Girls Clubs, and many more.
– The Bears assisted many youth organizations over the years, and of course could often be seen working with Kenai Peninsula Hockey Association’s youth teams!
– The Bears also made their presence known in the schools; participating in many programs over the years to mentor and work in our classrooms.
