Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) has partnered with Kathryn Kehoe and Sean O’Brien, founders of the National Girls Hockey League (“NGHL”) to expand the footprint of the league and provide more resources and opportunities to promote the growth of girls ice hockey programs in the United States. Kathryn and the NGHL team will continue to oversee the league and run the day-to-day operations. The NGHL expects to host 10+ events across the country next season inclusive of two divisions and culminating with league championships in Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO. Black Bear will support the league with use of its 25 ice rinks and provide more ice for girls programming and showcases.
“We are excited to partner with Black Bear to grow our league and girls’ programs,” said Kathryn Kehoe, Co-Founder of the NGHL. “We now have the foundation to create more opportunities to grow the game and expand the league to more regions and different skill levels. Sean and I believe this is the best decision for the league and we are thrilled to stay involved in leadership positions. As we grow the sport, more opportunities for women to pursue a career in hockey will materialize which was one of my original motivations for starting this league.”
Black Bear is the largest owner-operator of ice rinks in the U.S. Black Bear’s footprint totals 25 facilities across the United States with 47 sheets of indoor ice, three indoor turf fields, 15 youth hockey clubs and three Junior “A” hockey franchises in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League and Eastern Hockey League.
“Kathryn, Sean and their team add a wealth of knowledge and experience in girl’s hockey to Black Bear,” said Tim Chase, Director of Girls Hockey for Black Bear. “We have recently launched grassroots programs to grow girls’ participation at our rinks and the NGHL provides the infrastructure where dedicated players can compete at a higher level against national competition and be scouted for college hockey. The opportunities to add showcases, scouting events and camps for these girls at Black Bear facilities in the future are endless and we are excited to start planning.”
The National Girls Hockey League (NGHL) is dedicated to the promotion and growth of girl’s ice hockey programs across the nation. For the past two years the league has run events, including showcases and clinics, across the country for multi-level programs. The NGHL will release its full schedule of events and showcases for the 2021-22 shortly. Please check our website nghlhockey.com for updated information.
