The Following
participated in the
2008-2009
Delta Sonic/
Pizza HutVariety
Youth Hockey Program
:
2008-2009
VOLUNTEER
Coaches
John Gilforte
Ed Harmon
Sam Harmon
Vasili "Voz" Kalodimos
Marco Marrero
Cory Mickey
James Nowak
Eddie Shedesky
Craig Willoughby
2008-2009
Hockey Task Force
Robin Roeser
Joe Scarsella
2008-2009
Special Thank You
*Delta Sonic
*Pizza Hut
*Parents of Participants
*Staff & Volunteers of Variety - The Children's Charity of Buffalo & Western New York
*Staff & Volunteers of Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo
*Robert Lowery
*Richard Goldstein
*Diane Rowe
Kyle Spencer gives his thoughts on what the hockey program does for him
Coach Sam Harmom gives Rommie Arrington his certificate
Nasar Ayers-Goss accepts his certificate from Coach Harmon
Travis Baer comes up on stage to receive his award
Jack Carney receives his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon.
Robert Carney receives his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon
Coach Sam Harmon presents Giovanni "JoJo" Davila with his certificate
Jaylan Green, receives his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon
John Duggan receives his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon
Coach Sam Harmon presents Tabitha Grekulak with her certificate
TJ Hayes receives his certifcate from Coach Harmon
Jack Carney from the Babcock Club receives his clubs Most Improved Player award from Coach Sam Harmon.
Coach Sam Harmon presents
Danny Lopez with his certificate
Sam Loster accepts her certificate from Coach Harmon
Nate Luciano receives his certifcate from Coach Harmon
Damone McNamee receives his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon.
Coach Sam Harmon presents Joseph Montanez with his certiifcate
Richard Goldstein, Executive Director of Variety presents Giovanni "JoJo" Davila with the Faye Goldstein Memorial Most Dedicated Player of the Year award.
Each year, one child is chosen to participate in the annual Willie O'Ree Hockey Tournament. The event, named in honor of the man who broke the NHL's color barrier in 1958 with the Boston Bruins, brings 24 boys and girls, ages 10-12, to a selected NHL city for an All-Star Game Saturday and a Skills Competition on Sunday. The boys and girls are selected based on citizenship, academics and dedication to hockey and represent teams from across North America that participate in the NHL Diversity Task Force program, the League's not-for-profit arm that makes hockey accessible to everyone regardless of age, skill level or economic background.
WILLIE O'REE ALL-STAR GAME, now in it's ninth year, celebrates the successes of the individual inner city programs, as their top players, ages 10-12 years old, are given an opportunity to compete in an East versus West game.
The DTF HOCKEY CAMPERSHIP PROGRAM provides economically disadvantaged youngsters with a unique opportunity to attend summer hockey camp programs and receive top-notch on-ice hockey instruction. Named in honor of Stan Maxwell, a former professional hockey player, young participants in DTF programs are nominated by their coaches based on playing ability, hockey potential and citizenship, and selected by a committee of NHL executives.
Willie O'Ree played his first game in the NHL with the Boston Bruins on January 18, 1958, becoming the first black player in the National Hockey League. He played professional hockey for a total of 21 years, retiring in 1980 at the age of 45. In February 1998, O'Ree was named the director of youth development for the Diversity Task Force. Since his appointment, he has traveled to more than 50 NHL and non-NHL markets across North America (more than 300,000 miles), conducting clinics and visiting schools and hospitals and reaching out to thousands of children. In 1999, "The Autobiography of Willie O'Ree: Hockey's Black Pioneer," was published and chronicles his 21-year pro career.
Hockey's Black Pioneer
Although he played only 45 games over parts of two seasons with the Boston Bruins, William (Willie) O'Ree is remembered as the first black player in the history of the
National Hockey League.
A 5'10", 180-pound left wing, O'Ree played two games for the Bruins in 1957-58 and 43 more in 1960-61. He was known for his exceptional speed and his checking ability.
Even though he didn't play regularly in the NHL, Willie did have an extraordinarily long professional
career - 21 seasons, mostly in the old Western League with the Los Angeles Blades and the San Diego Gulls, despite losing his right eye in a junior hockey game when he was 21.
Born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on Canada's Atlantic coast, O'Ree was an outstanding athlete as a youngster, excelling at hockey, rugby, soccer, basketball, track and baseball. A shortstop, he was invited to training camp with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956.
After O'Ree's professional hockey career ended in 1979, he became a supervisor for a company that handled security for the San Diego Chargers and later worked security at the spectacular Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego harbor.
O'Ree began doing promotional work in 1990 for the International Hockey League's San Diego Gulls. Six years later, he was asked by the NHL to assist with an All-Star Game designed to celebrate hockey's growing diversity.
Now in its seventh year, the Willie O'Ree All-Star Game honors O'Ree's career and allows selected boys and girls, ages 10-12, from each of the NHL Diversity Task Force programs across North America to interact with NHL players, attend an NHL game, and experience the culture of the host city. In addition, the youngsters take part in an all-star game of their own featuring an east-versus-west format.
O'Ree re-joined the NHL on January 18, 1998, the 40th anniversary of his first game in the NHL. As part of the 1998 NHL All-Star Weekend festivities, the NHL announced his appointment as the Director of Youth Development for the NHL Diversity Task Force.
O'Ree and his wife and daughter reside in San Diego, Calif.
This page last modified on Thursday, March 11, 2010
For information on Variety - The Children's Charity of Buffalo & Western New York,
Please call us at (716) 854-7577 or e-mail us at:
vcstaff@varietykidstelethon.com
Pictures from the
2009 Hockey Awards Breakfast
48th Annual
Sunday March 28, 2010
Official Countdown To Telethon 2010:
William Turmer talks about what the hockey program means to him
Saturday December 13, 2008 saw participants from the Variety/Delta Sonic/Pizza Hut Youth Hockey league debut their new uniformas and play a controlled game against the Ken-Ton Dragons. The Variety Youth Hockey Participants lost by a score of 8-2, but each and every player gave it their all.
The New Uniforms Debut...
Damone McNamee, Tabitha Grekulak and Danny Lopez show off the crests on the new uniforms
Kim Canna from Delta Sonic drops the first puck to begin the game against the ken-Ton Dragons
The game is on!
Mike Hudson
receives his certifcate from Coach Harmon
Coach Sam Harmon presents Dejaun Owens with his certiifcate
Matt Puza receives his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon.
Sam Sabia accepts his certificate from Coach Sam Harmon
Coach Sam Harmon presents
Trevor Santiago with his certificate
Kyle Spencer
receives his certificate from Coach Harmon
William Turner
receives his certificate from Coach Harmon
Coach Sam Harmon presents Leo Wheeler with his certificate
Kyle Spencer from the JFK Club receives his clubs Most Improved Player award from Coach Sam Harmon
William Turner from the Beecher Club receives his clubs Most Improved Player award from Coach Sam Harmon.
Leo Wheeler from the LaSalle Club receives his clubs Most Improved Player award from Coach Sam Harmon
Nasar Ayers-Goss from the Baird Club receives his clubs Most Improved Player award from Coach Sam Harmon.
The Volunteer Coaches and program officials ......Cory Mickey, Marco Marrero, Sam Harmon, Vasili "Koz" Kalodimos, Eddie Shedesky, Craig Willoughby, Jim Nowak, Richard Goldstein, Diane Rowe, Robin Roeser and Joe Scarsella.
