Ray Geary isn’t even a big hockey fan.
Sure, he’s been to a couple professional games, played some pond hockey, attended contests when he worked at other universities and watched his kids play the sport.
But on Saturday at Callahan Park’s ice rink, you wouldn’t be wrong if you mistook Geary as Bradford’s biggest hockey enthusiast. Walking around the enclosed portion of the rink talking with parents, fans and friends who turned out for Pitt-Bradford’s first-ever alumni club hockey game, Geary seemed in his element.
The eagerness of the players mirrors their general manager despite varying skill levels.
“The enthusiasm of the players is high,” said Geary, who sets schedules, secures ice time, find referees and makes sure his players have the correct paperwork completed. “The levels of ability of the players range from excellent – players that have been playing organized hockey all their lives – to we have a couple players who’ve never skated or played hockey before.”
In his day job, he’s the executive director of continuing education and regional development. Geary has been in an administrative role with the club since its inception four years ago.
“I never thought I would be as involved as I am,” Geary said. “The real reason I became involved was because the students had motivation.
“I knew they needed someone that could carry it through administratively.”
Against a team made up of former players numbering in the mid-teens, the current Panther squad came away with an 8-6 high-scoring victory. Pitt-Bradford students sang the national anthem and alma mater beforehand, and the Panther mascot skated around and was on hand for the ceremonial puck-drop.
The first club captain even donated the money to reserve the rink. All this, Geary says, is a way to enhance the alumni spirit.
The program has steadily grown from 13 players in the first year to 21 last year. The first two years of the club alumni players played on the team, but now because the Panthers are in an official league, only full-time students are permitted to play.
The club, according to Geary, also serves as a recruiting tool for the university as it further diversifies the activities and interests offered by Pitt-Bradford.
“Having a hockey program is definitely an asset to the university as far as recruitment and retention,” Geary said. “It’s one more positive aspect the university can provide as a recruitment tool.”
The hope is that this game can become an annual occurrence. Geary’s goal is to have the rink covered with ice by October so the game can take place over Pitt-Bradford’s alumni weekend.
