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Hockey Outing for PV

by John Olski

Join Positive Voice members for a Green Bay Gamblers hockey game on Friday, February 13.  Positive Voice has received 50 complementary tickets as part of a Gamblers promotion to area organizations.  Those who would like to see the local hockey franchise in action should contact Positive Voice at tickets@pvinc.org for free tickets.  The Gamblers will host the Danville Wings at 7:05 PM.

A hockey game will allow people to visit the Resch Center, which opened in September 2002.  The Resch replaced Veterans Memorial Arena as home for the Green Bay Gamblers, and is part of a Brown County Veterans Memorial Complex that includes the older Arena and Shopko Hall.  Parking for the complex is located across Oneida Street at Lambeau Field, and can be accessed from Oneida Street or Lombardi Avenue.

The Green Bay Gamblers became a franchise of the United States Hockey League in 1994.  In addition to being USHL National Champions in 1996 and 1997, the Gamblers were USHL East Division champions for four seasons, from 1999 to 2002.

The Gamblers take part in many community outreach events, the most prominent of which is probably the Teddy Bear Toss.  At one designated home game each year, fans toss teddy bears onto the ice when the Gamblers score their first goal.  The bears are collected and donated to Bellin Health's Christoph Pediatric Center, where they are given to young patients.  For more on the Green Bay Gamblers, including games and activities, visit www.gamblershockey.com/homepg.html .

While hockey is generally not the first activity GLBT folks consider for a Friday night out, Positive Voice does have prior interest in the sport.

PV's first monthly meeting of the 2002-2003 year featured two members of the New York City Gay Hockey League sharing their experience as gay athletes.  Jeff Kagan and Chris Brand noted that school coaches and players sometimes used anti-gay remarks in attempts at critical motivation.  A gay hockey league has provided a more comfortable space for players, while its success in New York City has also inspired similar efforts elsewhere.

The New York City Gay Hockey Association is a co-ed league for people of all skill levels.  Teams include the NY Lions, Hurricanes, Rockets, Tigers, Hotshots and Polar Bears.  Chris Brand is the goaltender for the NY Lions, while Jeff Kagan plays for the Hurricanes and Polar Bears.  More notably, Kagan was elected Commissioner of the International Gay and Lesbian Ice Hockey Association in 2003.

Men of the NYC Gay Hockey Association raise money for their league with an annual calendar.  The league has also received publicity in a segment of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- a high-schticking expose of the only straight player on a gay hockey team.  A Real Video clip of that segment can be found on the league's web site at www.nycgayhockey.org .

A Wisconsin Gay Hockey Association is also being organized in Milwaukee for any interested LGBT and gay-friendly people.  The WGHA will draw on players and fans from Southeast and South Central Wisconsin, beginning with the 2004-2005 season.  All levels of players are welcome.  An organizational meeting is scheduled for January 28 in Milwaukee.  More information on the Wisconsin Gay Hockey Association can be found on-line at http://home.wi.rr.com/wigayhockey/index.html  .