David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena

The Batavia Kiwanis Club hosted its annual Thanksgiving Free Skate on Thursday morning at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association is offering a Beginner Ice Hockey Learn to Play Program at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, located on Evans Street next to the Batavia Fire Department in Batavia. This program is open to boys and girls ages 4 and up, and no prior skating experience is needed.

Session I lasts for 15 weeks and costs $125, while Session II is also 15 weeks and costs $75. The program starts on October 5.

A Beginner Orientation will take place on Wednesday, October 2, at 6 p.m. at the rink, and everyone is invited to attend. For additional information, including the schedule and registration instructions, please contact Marcia Barnes at 585-409-1383 or via email at Barnes.marcia21@gmail.com.

For more details, visit www.BataviaRamparts.com. Don’t go through life without goals—play hockey! GO RAMPARTS!

Press Release:

On Saturday, October 5, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., the Friends of the Rink organization will host their Third Annual Scrap Metal Drive Fundraiser in the rear parking lot of the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena located at 22 Evans Street, Batavia.

All proceeds will be used to fund needed ice rink improvement projects.

Acceptable Items: 

• old appliances
• gas grills
• bikes
• hot water tanks
• anything metal 

Unacceptable Items:

• refrigerators
• propane tanks
• vehicle wheel rims with tires attached
• items containing mercury
• items with fluids inside or out (gas, oil, hydraulic oil, tar, etc.)

This event is held in cooperation with Ed Arnold Scrap Processors of Corfu. For more information: contact Bob Gray at 585-344-2248 or sqftbob1@rochester.rr.com.

Even though the guest of honor was late, dozens of families and city police staff enjoyed the evening Monday during Community Night at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.

Batu, the canine currently in the K-9 program that receives proceeds from the event, was otherwise occupied at the start of the event, lead organizer and police Detective Matthew Wojtaszczyk said.

"Our canine got called away to a call, but normally he would be here; it serves as a fundraiser for the canine program as well. So it's kind of dual purpose, but the biggest thing is just chatting with the community and getting to know people who come out,” he said at the Evans Street arena. “It's extremely important to us just to meet with the community, spend some time together when not on calls, in a relaxed environment. We have, as you can see, the bounce house, food, just a gathering of the community and us.”

Community Night is an annual community-building campaign that promotes strong police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make safer neighborhoods. Various organizations and groups participated with games, activities, informational displays and free food.

Police officers are often en route to calls for assistance or response to incidents in the city and don’t have the opportunity to just chat with folks on a casual basis, which can be a valuable bonding tool,  Wojtaszczyk said.

“We don't always get the chance to just kind of kick back and meet with the community in a relaxed environment,” he said. “I think it provides that platform to eat together, to hang out together. You'll see we have officers all over.

“So I want to give a shout out to our diamond sponsors for sure, we had a ton of sponsors this year. Western New York Heroes, Batavia Downs Gaming, Upstate Niagara, and O-At-Ka Milk Products all came through huge for us in terms of sponsorships. We have our first responders, city fire is here, a huge shout out to Grace Baptist; they provided 35 volunteers to come out and serve food,” he said. “But there's just a lot of all the information here, too, and everything. We have 35-plus vendors of different community outreach programs, and it provides an opportunity for them too, as well, to connect with the community. It just brings everyone together. That's the whole point.”

Batu made it to the party and met up with many attendees. The police department took on the community night event four or five years ago, Wojtaszczyk said, and began to build it into a bigger happening.

“And we've just kind of grown it more and more,” he said. “And now we have a pretty big event. The weather, I think, kept some people away, but it’s a good event, and it’s grown every year.”

Photos by Howard Owens

Some of the financial burden has been taken off of city leaders’ and local taxpayers’ shoulders with the announcement of a $1.2 million state grant that will be used for the ice chiller at the McCarthy Ice Rink in Batavia.

The funds are part of $7.3 million pool for climate-smart communities projects across New York State, and Batavia was chosen as one of several municipalities to receive financial assistance for a project that city and Genesee County officials have deemed worthy of the “Climate Smart Communities” initiative.

County Manager Matt Landers appreciated the opportunity to support the state Department of Environmental Conservation in making the announcement, he said Tuesday at the Evans Street ice arena, considering that it’s for “vital funding for new climate projects.”

“This support underscores our commitment to sustainability and highlights the innovative efforts of our local communities in addressing climate change,” he said. “We look forward to seeing these projects have a positive impact on Batavia and beyond.”

City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. also lauded the funding that city leaders had applied for in December 2023 as part of budget discussions and future planning for how to pay for the chiller, expected to cost upwards of $4 million.

“The Ice Arena and the programs provided year-round make it a unique gathering place for all our residents to enjoy. It's much more than just a place for people to ice skate and play hockey; it’s also used for many different events throughout the year. Monday, August 5, in a few weeks, the arena will be hosting the Batavia Police Department's Community Night. It's an annual event that strengthens the community police partnerships and promotes safe neighborhoods,” Jankowski said. 

Jankowski said city leadership, including the City Council and City Manager Rachael Tabelski and her team are pleased with the growth of the ice arena as a community hub since operations were award to local businessman Matt Gray.

"Matt is a distinguished member of our community and serves on various boards and organizations. He's very committed to the ongoing revitalization of our downtown," Jankowski said. "His successful venture at Eli Fish Brewing Company in the heart of our downtown demonstrates his keen business knowledge which will be a valuable resource in operating the ice arena. 

“That's why the award we're announcing today through the New York State Climate Smart Communities program is so important to the future and success of our ice arena,” he said. “The grant will enhance the operations of the arena as a result of various energy efficiencies. The modern equipment that's being installed will not only reduce operational costs, but will also reduce emissions and lessen the arena’s environmental footprint.” 

The ice chiller caused considerable conversation during city budget talks after the council approved inevitable knee-jerk responses to keep the rink going with a failing chiller system two years ago. A council meeting in June 2023 brought out new operating manager Matt Gray and hockey league members to speak to the rink’s importance and reasons why the council should move forward with the big-ticket purchase.

A rapidly failing ice chiller wasn’t likely to survive another full season, and without a working chiller, of course, there would be no ice, no hockey program, and no evolving 12-month facility that had just celebrated “a great first year,” Gray said at the time.

Investing more and more money into the refrigerant necessary to keep the chiller going was a losing strategy, he and Tabelski said. 

She presented two options for purchasing a new chiller, and the less expensive one included this potential grant that just came through. In July 2023, the council approved a $2.5 million capital project to purchase a new chiller and evaporator system for the rink and to apply for this grant funding.

The new chiller will use less electricity and less water in the chilling process and allow rink operators to recapture and retire the 22 refrigerant, “which desperately needs to get out of our community,” Gray said. 

“And it will do it all in a manner that is safer for the users. At the end of the day, we are in the ice business. The ice is what pays the bills and allows us to do all the great things that the McCarthy does for our community,” he said. “On behalf of our largest grant users, the Batavia Ramparts, BND United, adult hockey, along with the David McCarthy Foundation, and the community as a whole, I would like to thank the city of Batavia for taking the leadership role in this, and the DEC for your commitment and funding to get this done.”

Tabelski was happy to see the ice arena, which she believes is “a true community asset,” become the benefactor of the Climate Smart Community Grant Program.

“To enhance the operations of the arena as well as provide cost savings while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are key to New York State’s climate goals,” she said. 

She was not available for additional comments later Tuesday. 

Established in 2009, the interagency Climate Smart Communities program provides guidance and technical support to local governments to take locally-driven climate action. The first step to becoming a Climate Smart Community is to register by pledging to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. To date, 425 local governments representing nearly 9.6 million New Yorkers, or approximately 50 percent of the State’s population, have adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge.

Genesee County Legislative Chair Rochelle Stein said that the county was also “very excited” about the support provided by the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to the ice rink.

“The rink is a center of healthy physical activity and quality of life for our residents,” Stein said. “Investments that extend the life of our local infrastructure with resiliency in practice are most welcome.”

Press Release:

Get a group of your "Swifties" and come to the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena Friday, July 19 from 7:30 - 9 p.m. for a "Swiftastic" night of ALL Taylor Swift tunes. 

Skate around the party and laser light lit up arena. You LOVE T-Swift? This is the night for you, grab your "Swifties", put on your merch and skate the night away to your "bestie" Taylor Swift!

Admission is $8 and $3 for skate rental. David M. McCarthy Arena is located at 22 Evans Street, Batavia.

Press Release:

The Genesee County Youth Bureau is excited to announce that our annual Safe Summer Children’s Carnival will take place on Thursday, July 25 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at David M. McCarthy Ice Arena, 22 Evans Street, Batavia. 

All games will be free, and children can win tickets to redeem for prizes. The Seneca Park ZooMobile is scheduled from 10 - 11 a.m. and educational booths/games will run the entire event. 

Each child will receive one ticket for a free Sno Cone provided by the Youth Bureau and the ice arena will have their “Snack Shack” open to purchase food and beverages.

There will be several community agency booths that children can visit to fill up a Passport page for a chance to win one of our grand prizes. For more information on the carnival please contact George at the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 344-3960.

A cornhole tournament was hosted by the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Saturday.  Proceeds from the Back the Blue Tournament benefit the family of Sgt. Thomas A. Sanfratello. The Sheriff's Office veteran died in the line of duty on March 10.,

These are photos from Saturday's Genesee County Home Show, which the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce hosted and organized.

The final day of the home show is Sunday (today), and it runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday's show was well attended, and about a dozen new vendors, plus many of the usual locally owned home improvement-related vendors, were on the floor of the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

XiiR (Xtreme International Ice Racing) returns to Batavia for two shows. Friday, March 29 & Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.

XiiR is a motorcycle racing tour…ON ICE! Man and machine going from 0-60mph in under 3 seconds, with speedway bikes and quads that are modified to compete on an indoor ice arena. There are over 2000 metal studs added to the tires and there are NO BRAKES!

What does that mean? PURE ADRENALINE! It is the fastest sport on ice and one of the fastest sports in the world. 

Last year’s event sold out at the McCarthy Ice Arena so get your tickets early online at www.mccarthyicearena.com in person at the rink (22 Evans Street Batavia), or call 814-504-9979.

Press Release:

The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association (GAHA) Timbit Beginners will be participating in their end-of-the-year “Jamboree” on Saturday, March 23 starting at 9 a.m. at the David McCarthy Memorial Arena. The world has the Olympics, Buffalo has pond hockey, but we have the Beginner Cross-Ice Event – “THE JAMBOREE”.  

The draft has taken place and the teams are set. Game schedules are confirmed and the blue lines are waiting for the hockey players to stand on them for the National Anthem. 

The Rink will be divided into three areas and two teams will play against one another in 2-minute shifts for 12 minutes; then they move on to play more “games” with other teams – a Total of 4 games.  Since there are five (5) teams the team not scheduled for a “game” will participate in skill drills in the middle section. 

At 9 a.m. the players will be introduced one by one as they step onto the ice and proceed to the Blue Line for the National Anthem. We’d love to have you join us and capture the progress of the little players ages 4 to 12. 

This year the Beginner Program consisted of 61 registered players. They are coached by Brennan Briggs along with Nick Harris as well as many other dads, family members plus GAHA Student Coaches serving as on-ice helpers.

Without all of this support, it would be impossible to run this program. Most of the players have been on the ice since early October through today. About 26 joined the program in early January after participating in the November USA Hockey – Try Hockey for Free Event. 

At practices they run through drills established by USA Hockey’s American Development Modules – six stations are set up around the rink and a different drill is introduced at each station. The players move from station to station.

GAHA is thankful for the sponsorship of its Beginner Program by the local Tim Horton Shop managed by Dave Lumberg. They provide the jerseys for all of the players as well as Timbit donuts for our special functions throughout the year.

For this Jamboree the players are divided into five teams (featuring the Black Team, the Royal Blue Lightnings, the Navy Blue Angels Team, the White Morasco’s Rink Rats, and the Red Crushers) denoted by the color of their jerseys and will play five 12-minute games with shifts of 2 min. A great time is had by all.

At the end of the Jamboree the GAHA organization will offer a free family skate for the Beginner Program until Noon and the McCarthy Rink Staff and Management will be providing “free” rental skates for those participating.

Press Release:

By Julia Garver, LG Class of 2010

What is “leadership”? The Leadership Genesee class of 2024 was able to get insight into this question from many community leaders in its first-day session, “Our Business & Economics” on Feb. 28. Responses included communication skills, engaging and motivating your team, leading by example, listening to your team and building trust and connection. 

One design team member put it this way: “Leadership embodies the art of inspiring others to achieve collective goals through vision, empathy, and decisive action. It's about guiding and empowering individuals to realize their potential, fostering collaboration, and navigating through challenges with integrity and resilience.”

The day started at Liberty Pumps with Robyn Brookhart LG ’02, President & CEO and
Dennis Burke LG ‘01, CFO sharing what makes LP so successful. First and foremost is the workplace culture, one that is collaborative, respectful, engaging, trustful, and has an element of fun. 

The business model of an ESOP, which LP has embraced, makes all employees (members) owners of the company so they have a stake in the efforts of their labors. That motivates members and encourages them to contribute their ideas for improvement to company operations. Also, the key to success is customer service, as mentioned by both Robyn and Dennis, a theme that reappeared several times during the day.

A presentation about how much of our expendable income is spent in Genesee County raised awareness about the impact of spending locally. Supporting local businesses ensures the vitality of the local economy and job creation with more than 55 cents of every dollar spent locally remaining in the community. The message was that “what is spent local, stays local.”

Visits were made by class members to more than 25 local businesses. The passion and forward-thinking of these entrepreneurs were impactful. Answering hard questions like ‘Should we expand? How much will it cost? Can my son/daughter take it over? and How can I compete with “big box” stores?’ is something that all small business owners face.

Rob Credi of Pub Coffee Pub revealed that what drives him includes the color scheme of his business which he chose to memorialize his sister, and his love of the show “Friends” which he uses to name some menu items. His vision led him to start the Crapshoot Kitchen & Commissary which provides opportunities for starter businesses to explore their space in the culinary field for take-out meals and food items. 

Other issues encountered by local business owners were competing products and keeping up with market trends. 

Guy Pellegrino, the owner of Pellegrino Auto Sales, an independent used car dealer, positioned his business to be a “new car store experience with no new cars”. To date, his business is the #1 rated used car business in Genesee County. He spends time and money on Internet access to apps and sites that let him stay ahead of price changes.

Tina Lambert, of Lambert’s Jeweler’s, mentioned that the current trends of lab-grown diamonds and fewer marriages have impacted their business. 

Lee Winters, owner of Genesee Feeds, said his biggest competition now is the internet. Loyal customers, a tribute to great customer service, have kept both their businesses successful.

The day ended at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena where Matt Gray LG ’11 spoke about how his experience in LG sparked the idea of the Eli Fish Brewing Company in which he is a part owner. Matt is also the owner of Alex’s and in 2022 he stepped up to take over the management of the ice arena. 

The economic impact of this venture is apparent when there are 5 to 15 teams from outside of the area coming to Batavia to play each week. The players and their families and supporters stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, and shop here in Genesee County which helps everyone.

February’s session was hosted by Liberty Pumps and the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena. Meals were sponsored by Lawley and Gavin M. Townsend, Lic. RE Salesperson at HUNT ERA Batavia.

Press release:

The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association hosted 37 registered youngsters as well as five “walk-ins” at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday for a Try Hockey For Free Event as part of “USA Hockey  Week  Across  America,” which was celebrated at 285  ice areas across the entire United States.   

Starting at 10:40 a.m. and going until noon, local youth, ages 4 to 9, were welcomed at the rink to experience getting on the ice, learning how to “skate”, getting up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting punks into a hockey net (all by being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers).  This year, the youngsters had the experience of shooting on actual goalies. 

“We welcomed families to McCarthy Ice Rink from Batavia, Buffalo, Byron, Corfu, LeRoy, Nunda, East Bethany, Alexander, Byron, Brockport, Albion, Wyoming, Rochester, and Elba to try our great sport of ice hockey,” said Sharon Gray, coordinator of the “Try Hockey for Free” event. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces and for the youngsters the on-ice experience.”

The head coaches for today’s event were Tim Sprague and Dan Calkins – both with more than 30 years plus starting out as GAHA players, high school players and GAHA coaches over the years.  Most of the on-ice helpers were from this year’s Batavia-Notre Dame United high school team along with their coaches – Marc Staley and John Kirkwood.  

The youngsters were excited to be coached, aided and skating with these local athletes. Also on the ice were coaches and players from the GAHA organization.  The beginning of the event featured the playing of the National Anthem, and the little people stood so proudly alongside the BND players!

The event is hosted by Try Hockey for Free Coordinators, Sharon and Bob Gray,  and the GAHA Beginner Player Coordinator,  Marcia Barnes, on behalf of the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, which provided the ice, and the McCarthy rink staff, Katie Murray (general manager), Matt Gray (rink operating manager), and their staff.  

It is the team’s goal to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and encourage them in  October to become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program, which starts the first week of October.  The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.

The skates used by the youngsters were provided “free of charge” by the McCarthy Rink  Management Group.

USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.  Pure Hockey (sponsor of USA Hockey) provided free USA Try Hockey jerseys to each child.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:  THE NEXT THFF EVENT WILL BE THE FIRST SATURDAY OF NOVEMBER 2024!!!

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

CAN-USA Sports is excited to announce the return of the Battle of the Badges, City of Batavia Police vs City of Batavia Fire. Sunday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets start at just $10 and proceeds benefit the David McCarthy Memorial Foundation.

The City of Batavia Police Department took the inaugural battle of the Badges Cup last year with the event raising over $3,000 for the David McCarthy Memorial Foundation. 

“We are looking forward to getting these two great departments together for the 2nd straight year. The David McCarthy Memorial Foundation has helped so many families in our community over the years and we are excited to donate the proceeds to such a meaningful organization again this year.” official quotes from Detective James DeFreze (Detective-City of Batavia Police) & Matt Morasco (City of Batavia Fire Department). 

Kids 12 & under are free to enter and tickets are just $10 with proceeds benefiting the foundation. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mccarthyicearena.com or in person at the Ice Arena.

POLICE ROSTER: 

• #11 - Jim DeFreze
• #13 - Steve Quider
• #15 - Connor Borchert
• #18 - Steven Cronmiller
• #20 - Chris Lindsay
• #36 - Adam Tucker
• #54 - John Gombos
• #57 - Matthew Smith
• #58 - Chance Hudson
• #62 - Eric Hill
• #69 - Aric Perkins
• #72 - Matt Lutey
• #74 - Brian Moscicki
• #76 - Felicia DeGroot
• #83 - Ricky Messmer
• #98 - Andrew Mruczek

FIRE ROSTER: 

• #7 - Josh McCarthy-CBFD
• #10 - Ryan Whitcombe-CBFD
• #12 - Chris Morasco-CBFD
• #15 - Matt Morasco-CBFD
• #19 - Zechariah Gowanlock- CBFD
• #31 - Steve Hammerl-Rochester FD
• #32 - Colin Cooper-CBFD
• #36 - Mark Sacheli-CBFD
• #37 - Bob Tedford-CBFD
• #39 - Mike Morris-CBFD
• #44 - Jeff Whitcombe-CBFD
• #51 - Brian Fix-CBFD
• #56 - Russ Borden-Town of Batavia FD
• #57 - Chad Brade -CBFD
• #59  - Allison Hubert-CBFD
• #67 - Karl Zufall-CBFD
• #96 - Andy LaForce-Buffalo Airport FD

If you or someone you know owns a local business that would like to help sponsor the event, please contact Marc Witt, General Manager/Ownership – CAN-USA Sports, mwitt.canusa@gmail.com for opportunities.

Press Release:

Genesee Amateur Hockey Association (GAHA) invites children to the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a Try Hockey For Free clinic as part of Hockey Week Across America. 

 Starting at 10:40 a.m. to Noon local youth, ages 4 to 9, are encouraged to experience ice hockey for the first time and learn the basic skills in a fun, safe environment.

“We look forward to welcoming families to David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena to try our great sport of ice hockey for free,” said Sharon Gray, Event Coordinator. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces.” 

USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.

All your youngster needs is a helmet (bike or sports) and winter gloves. Skates are available at the Rink free of charge (due to the generous offering of the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena). The GAHA organization does have some used hockey helmets available for the event as well as a few hockey sticks.

Players in attendance will be given a free hockey jersey to take home. To register for this Try Hockey For Free event, please visit www.TryHockeyForFree.com (Use zip code 14020).

For more information, please contact Sharon at svgray@rochester.rr.com or 585-344-2248 (Coordinator for Try Hockey For Free).

Submitted photos

Press Release:

CAN-USA Sports has teamed up with the Batavia Community Schools Foundation for their inaugural Blue vs White Charity Hockey Game. Sunday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. with doors opening at 4 p.m. at the David McCarthy Memorial Arena.

The game will feature local business owners, Batavia City School District Alumni, and local youth hockey leaders. 

“I think it is going to be a really fun event to see local leaders in our community go head-to-head in a game to raise money for the Foundation. Some of these players may be dusting off their skates from a time long ago and some will be showcasing their hockey skills in front of families, neighbors, and co-workers, but that gives you even more reason to come out and see them in action” – Marc Witt, General Manager & Ownership CAN-USA Sports (Batavia Muckdogs Baseball).

A full roster will be released at the event, but see below the current players signed up to participate:

• Steve Pies, Owner – Max Pies Furniture & Batavia Hockey Alumni
• Guy Pellegrino, Owner – Pellegrino Auto Sales & Notre Dame Hockey Alumni
• Peter Corbelli – Member of the 1st Batavia Varsity Team
• Pierce Corbelli – Batavia Hockey Alumni
• Dan Calkins – 2006 Sectional Championship team & Batavia Alumni
• Batavia City School District Faculty Members: Tom Ingalsbe, David Froese, Anthony Consiglio, and Deven Grimshaw.

If you or someone you know owns a local business who would like to help sponsor either or both of the events please contact Marc Witt, General Manager/Ownership – CAN-USA Sports, mwitt.canusa@gmail.com for opportunities. 

Tickets for the event start at just $10 with proceeds benefiting the Batavia Community Schools Foundations. Tickets can be bought online, here or in person at the David McCarthy Memorial Arena box office.

The Merry Mitemas Tournament is underway at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.

The inaugural tournament features 18 teams.  Four are from Batavia, with teams from as far away as Webster and Geneva, said Sharon Valyear-Gray, one of the tournament's organizers, along with her husband, Bob Gray, their daughter, Allyson Valyear, who is chair, and  Tim Sprague, Mite program team coordinator. 

"We wanted to give the little guys an experience that our older ones always get when they go to tournaments," Valyear-Gray said. "Several of the teams went to the Pittsburgh tournament on Veterans weekend. Most of them go to one or two (tournaments) in Rochester. We have three teams that are going to Lake Placid in March, which is really a neat experience for the kids. But the little ones just kind of get left behind."

Each team is guaranteed at least three games over the weekend.

The weekend will include a skate with Santa at noon on Sunday, followed by the championship game.

Photos by Howard Owens

Press Release:

On Friday, Dec. 1  the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association Ramparts Mite Division (8U) will host their first annual “Merry Mitemas Tournament at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street, Batavia. The Opening game will  begin Friday, Dec. 1 at 5 p.m.

Eighteen teams from the Rochester and Buffalo area are participating.  Also featured during the Tournament will be a Basket Raffle and 50/50 Drawing on Saturday along with donut sales, and T-shirt sales on Saturday and Sunday (until sold out).  The teams participating in this Mite Tournament will be playing half-ice; there will be two games played at the same time. This will be a fun event featuring the youngest players within the Association.  Many of these young skaters move up throughout the Association to play on the local high school team.

Volunteers are still needed to run the time clock, keep score and all the other chores that pop up here and there.  If you’d like to volunteer please contact  Allyson Valyear at Avalyear5@gmail.com.

Press Release:

CAN-USA Sports is excited to announce the return of the Battle of the Badges, City of Batavia Police vs City of Batavia Fire, charity hockey game & the Inaugural Batavia City Schools Foundation Faculty charity hockey game at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in 2024.

The Batavia City Schools Foundation Faculty game will be on Sunday Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. with doors opening at 4 p.m. The event will feature current and former faculty members battling on the ice to benefit the Batavia City Schools Foundation. 

Kids 12 & under are free to enter and tickets are just $10 with proceeds benefiting the foundation. Foundation President Zack Korzelius “We want to bring more awareness to the foundation and there is such a rich tradition of hockey at our district we thought this would be a perfect fit”.

The event is open to the public and rosters will be release shortly. Tickets can be purchased online through this link-HERE or in person at the Ice Arena.

The 2nd annual Battle of the Badges will be played on Sunday Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The City of Batavia Police Department took the inaugural battle of the badges cup last year with the event raising over $3,000 for the David McCarthy Memorial Foundation.

“We are looking forward to getting these two great departments together for the 2 nd straight year. The David McCarthy Memorial Foundation has helped so many families in our community over the years and we are excited to donate the proceeds to such a meaningful organization again this year.” official quotes from Detective James DeFreze (Detective-City of Batavia Police) & Matt Morasco (City of Batavia Fire Department). 

Kids 12 & under are free to enter and tickets are just $10 with proceeds benefiting the foundation. Tickets can be purchased online through this link - HERE or in person at the Ice Arena.

Both events will have full-service food & beverage at the rink & 50-50 at each evening’s game. “We have hosted several events in partnership with CAN-USA Sports ownership and they have been all successful. We love to highlight the rink, our community, and who doesn’t love hockey!” – Kati Murray, General Manager, David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena. 

“Hockey being my first love and being able to highlight the heroes & teachers in our community playing the game I love while giving back to local charities is just a win win for the community here.” – CAN-USA Sports Owner Robbie Nichols.

If you or someone you know owns a local business who would like to help sponsor either or both of the events please contact Marc Witt, General Manager/Ownership – CAN-USA Sports, mwitt.canusa@gmail.com for opportunities.