Kim Weiss hired as Assistant Bench Coach for North American Hockey League’s Maryland Black Bears

Bethesda, MD (June 21, 2021) –
​Black Bear Sports Group, the largest youth hockey and ice rink business in North America (“Black Bear Sports”), is pleased to announce the immediate hiring of Kimberly Weiss as Assistant Bench Coach for the Maryland Black Bears (the “Black Bears”), a Tier II Junior Hockey team that plays in the North American Hockey League.  Ms. Weiss joins the Black Bears’ coaching staff following the highly successful 2020-21 season which saw the Black Bears advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in their first ever playoff appearance.  Kim joins the Black Bears following almost 10 years coaching with the nationally dominant Washington Pride Girls Hockey Program.  Previously, Kim was an All American four-year starter at Trinity College in Hartford, CT.  Kim is also a Maryland native. 
 
“We are excited to have Kim join our staff,” said Clint Mylymok, Head Coach and General Manager of the Black Bears. “Kim had an outstanding playing career and achieved great success with the Pride.  Over the past few years, Kim has joined us on the ice as well as evaluated for us at our main camps.  She brings a lot of hockey experience and will be an asset to our program.”
 
“It gives me great pleasure to have hired the first female President of a Junior Hockey team in Robyn Remick, to be a partner with Kathryn Kehoe in the largest girls hockey league in the country, and now to have hired the first ever female bench coach in Junior Hockey in North America,” said Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear Sports Group.   “Kim is the All-Time leading scorer for Trinity and was an All American & 2x Captain before becoming a highly successful AAA girls coach where she developed countless players who went on to successful college careers.  We are lucky to have her on our team.”
 
“I am thrilled to join the Black Bears’ staff and look forward to working with Clint and Assistant Coach Brandon Gotkin,” said Kimberly J. Weiss.  “The team had an amazing season and I look forward to helping build upon their success this year.”
 
“This is another great example of why the NAHL is the League of Opportunity.  We wish Coach Weiss all the best and know she will make an impact in the development and growth of players as they continue to pursue their college hockey dreams,” said Mark Frankenfeld, Commissioner and President of the North American Hockey League.
 
“Kim is an amazing person and an even better hockey coach,” said Andrew Goldman, President of Junior Hockey for Black Bear Sports.  “We have had the chance to work with her over the years in different roles and are pleased that she decided to accept our offer to join our staff in a critically important role.”
 
About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.

Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean and professionally managed and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear targets ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, existing youth hockey clubs, and a National Hockey League club presence.  The largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 27 facilities across the United States with 50 sheets of indoor ice, three indoor turf fields, 15 youth hockey clubs, and three Junior “A” hockey franchises in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, and Eastern Hockey League.


Contact Info: 
Murry N. Gunty, CEO, Black Bear Sports Group, mgunty@blackbearsportsgroup.com
Clint Mylymok, Head Coach, Maryland Black Bears, clint@marylandblackbears.com

Pittsburgh, PA – An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) has acquired Pittsburgh Ice Arena in New Kensington, PA (the “Arena”). The Arena features two NHL ice sheets, a full-service gym, a hockey training center, a pro shop, and a chiropractic treatment center. The Arena is home to the Pittsburgh Vipers and Esmark Stars youth hockey clubs along with many figure skaters and recreational skaters in the area. Black Bear, the largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., was founded by CEO Murry Gunty in 2015. 

​“We are excited to expand our Pittsburgh presence with this transaction, as Pittsburgh is one of the best hockey markets in the Country,” said Murry Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear. “We also look forward to growing our league and tournament businesses in the Pittsburgh area and expect to host numerous boys and girls events in our rinks.”

Black Bear owns and operates Printscape Arena in Canonsburg, PA (formerly known as Iceoplex at Southpointe), Palmer Imaging Arena in Delmont, PA (formerly known as Center Ice Arena) and co-owns and operates the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League in Youngstown, OH.  Black Bear recently announced the formation of the Atlantic Hockey Federation (“AHF”), a new Tier-II hockey league in the Mid-Atlantic, and recently acquired the National Girls Hockey League(“NGHL”), the leading girls hockey league in the U.S.

“Our mission is to continue growing hockey and ice sports in Pittsburgh,” said Ryan Scott, Vice President of Black Bear. “Our Pittsburgh operations team, led by Scott Branovan, is excited to dig in and develop new programs and opportunities for the community.”

About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.

Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean, professionally managed, and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear not only features the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also the expertise required to turn around mismanaged or under-performing facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 26 facilities across the United States with 49 sheets of indoor ice, three indoor turf fields, 15 youth hockey clubs, two youth hockey leagues (Atlantic Hockey Federation and National Girls Hockey League) and three Junior “A” hockey franchises with membership in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League and Eastern Hockey League.

Contact Info

Ryan Scott
rscott@blackbearsportsgroup.com