Outdoor Classic

Order of day: more Classics

January 13, 2010 BY PAT DISABATO -- SOUTHTOWNSTAR

It all came together so smoothly, similar to the sheet of ice that provided the stage for one of the most memorable high school events the Southland has ever produced.

But make no mistake, to effectively execute an event like Tuesday night's South Side Winter Hockey Classic, it takes two parties to join hands for the greater good.

And that's what Brother Rice and Marist did, with an assist from Mother Nature providing ideal conditions for an outdoor hockey event.

"We basically split responsibilities," Marist athletic director Tom Schergen said. "Rice said, 'We'll take care of this, this and this,' and we said, 'We'll take care of this, this and this' and we did it. We worked together to pull this off."

The Evergreen Park community, which made Yukich Field available to host the event, can take a big bow as well, knowing how it bent over backward to accommodate all involved.

The result was an event like no other.

"I had no idea what to expect," Brother Rice coach George Bessett said. "But the crowd was outstanding and well-behaved. This is what we envisioned, but we just didn't expect this many people."

Crowds of this magnitude are generally designated for the Kennedy Cup playoffs, the Catholic League's Holy Grail of hockey championships.

But hundreds, maybe even a cool thousand, braved winter's elements, standing five deep in some areas, to watch the inaugural South Side Winter Classic.

"It was an incredible crowd," Marist coach Wayne Kuhl said. "I wasn't sure what to expect. But the kids were really excited about it."

Oh, yeah, the kids.

And by "kids," I'm not referring specifically to the pumped-up players, who resembled Energizer Bunnies as they circled the ice during pregame warm-ups.

I'm referring to the young people in the crowd. From toddlers to teenagers, they descended on Yukich Field to be a part of the Classic.

"I wanted to bring my son to see it," said John Tesmer, with his 4-year-old son, Jake, in his arms. "I don't know if he's going to remember this, but I always will and I'll be able to tell him about the time he came with his 'old man' to see the first Outdoor Classic."

In case you're wondering, beyond the occasional chants of "You suck" by the respective student bodies, the verbiage was G-rated.

The entire experience should motivate other high schools to think outside the box and stage similar events.

Oh, sure, boys basketball tournaments are scheduled every other week, some in college facilities.

And, yes, Marist hit a home run with the inaugural ESCC/CCL Southside Conference Baseball Challenge at Standard Bank Stadium last spring.

But I want more.

I'd love to see a spring baseball tournament between the top programs from the Southland against the likes of New Trier, Barrington and Lyons Township held at Standard Bank Stadium on a sun-soaked Saturday. You know, open up the borders and allow the north suburban cake-eaters to get a taste of the Southland.

I discussed the possibility with a few area coaches last year and they appeared excited about the prospect. But I haven't heard anything since, meaning they resembled a utility outfielder and likely dropped the ball.

Or how about expanding the Winter Classic to include others teams and shifting the event to the weekend? Bring in Mount Carmel, St. Rita and Providence Catholic or, again, invite our neighbors to the north, say, New Trier Green.

"We've already agreed to play Rice again next year, so there will be another Classic," Schergen said. "We'll sit down and see if we can expand it. For me, it's about giving our kids experiences they'll remember the rest of their lives. We all played regular games in our lives. It's the special games that you remember."

Brother Rice forward Bill Conway appreciated the opportunity.

"Playing outdoors with my teammates and with the crowd yelling is something I'll never forget," Conway said. "It's the best high school experience I've had."

Even though Rice lost 13-2. Imagine that.

This Week's Schedule

Families,
Schedule for the week.

Varsity
1/20—Practice 6:30pm—OL—Pictures of Seniors—please be on time
1/21— Varsity Game v. SI Home 7:40pm
1/22—Practice 5:10pm—OL
1/24—Varsity Game v. MC Home 7pm—OL
1/25—No Practice
JV
1/20—Practice 7:40pm—OL
1/22—Practice 6:20pm—OL
1/23— JV CCHL GAME v. SI 12:30PM—SIA
1/25—JV Only Practice 5:40pm—OL

Please be reminded that our Senior Night is scheduled for Jan 28th at Oak Lawn Ice Arena 7:40 pm. We need many volunteers from the JV as we have 13 Seniors participation in that night’s game. Contact Karen Madden for Details.

Thanks
George

Brother Rice Hockey in the News

Crusaders excited about future

While it wouldn't appear to be the case, there have been some bright spots during Brother Rice's 2-16 campaign in the Catholic League.

Namely, the performances of senior forwards Andrew Smith, Ray Dearth and Paul Hernandez, senior defenseman Bill Conway and sophomore defenseman Kevin Salmon.

"We're showing improvement," first-year Crusaders coach George Bessett said. "It's taken a little while for the guys to catch on to the system. It certainly hasn't been due to a lack of effort. The kids are skating as hard in the third period as they are in the first period. We're getting our shots on goal, they're just not going in for us."

Bessett is encouraged by the team's future. Along with Salmon, junior forward Chris Elser, sophomore defenseman Jack Kint and freshman defenseman Mike Yuen provide a fine foundation to build upon.

"I'm excited about our future," Bessett said. "We have some very good young players."

THE BIG QUOTE

'It should be an exciting atmosphere. The kids at the school are really jacked up and so are our alumni. We hope to add more teams in the future and turn it into a tournament.'

Brother Rice coach George Bessett on tuesday's inaugural Outdoor winter Classic between the Crusaders and Marist.

Southtown Star 1/7/10
Pat Disabato

Happy New Year to you from Brother Rice Hockey.

I would like to invite you out to watch the Varsity skate Tuesday night at the Evergreen Park outdoor arena at 6pm as a warm-up for the first annual South Side Outdoor Classic to be held at 6pm on Tuesday January 12 at the same arena. We are pleased to host this event and hope to see you all there. Friday night January 8th at 6:20 pm please come out and practice with the team if your schedule permits. I would also like to remind you that our entrance exam is Saturday, January 9, 2010 - 8 AM--$25 Testing Fee. please let me know if you need more information.

I hope the new year finds your family healthy, safe, and prosperous. Again thank you for considering Brother Rice.

George Bessett
Varsity Head Coach
Brother Rice Hockey Club
g.bessett@att.net
brhockey2009@att.net

Welcome Back Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all.
Busy week this week.

Sun 1/3
Varsity Skate 7pm Oak Lawn
JV Game v. Providence 8:20pm SIA

Mon 1/4
Varsity away game v. ND 7:40pm Iceland Skate 8435 Ballard Rd Niles, IL 60714
JV practice 5:40 pm Oak Lawn

Tues 1/5
Varsity Skate Evergreen Park Outdoor Rink 6pm
(All Players need skate guards as we will need to walk from the locker room to the rink)

Wed 1/6
JV practice 6:30pm OL--new time
Varsity practice 7:40pm OL--new time

Thurs 1/7
JV practice 7:40pm OL
Varsity Away Game v. Marist at Arctic 8pm

Fri 1/8
Varsity Practice 5:10pm OL
JV Practice 6:20pm OL

Sat 1/9
JV Game v. Fenwick 9:30am SIA

Sun 1/10
Varsity away game v. Providence 2:50pm at SIA