The Summation Weekly - October 18, 2023

Page 1

USPS Publication Number 16300

THE

SUMMATIONWeeklyy

This Community Newspaper is a publication of the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association

S E RV I N G T H E F I RS T J U D I C I A L C I RC U I T Vol. 23, No. 42

October 18, 2023

SummationWeekly.com

1 Section, 8 Pages

Section A, Page 1

puppy this season. Buccella is a three-month-old male labradorgolden retriever mix. He is proudly named after beloved player Dan Buccella, who passed away from leukemia last November. Greg Harris, the owner of the Ice Flyers said it was important to seek the blessings of Dan’s wife and parents before naming the puppy. “I reached out to each of them, explaining our intention and leaving the final decision up to them,” Harris said. “All of them were deeply moved by the gesture and wholeheartedly agreed that it would be an incredible tribute to Dan. With their blessings, we then reached out to Canine Companions to share our plan on naming our future service dog after him.” Canine Companions is a national organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained service dogs at no charge to the recipient. Canine Companions dogs are bred specifically to be service animals. Each dog undergoes six to nine months of advanced training. Buccella is not the only Canine Companions puppy to join the team; a couple years ago, the Ice Flyers welcomed Ranger into their lives. Weston Cramer and LeAnne Pickering, volunteer puppy raisers, trained Buccella to be a future service dog. Buccella is Cramer’s fourth dog and Pickering’s thirteenth. Canine Companions is one of many nonprofit organizations

that the Ice Flyers partner with. According to Harris, making a positive impact on the local community is deeply ingrained in the Ice Flyers’ core values. “We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support we receive from our dedicated fan base, who also contribute to the betterment of our community,” Harris said. “We are committed to expanding our support by collaborating with various nonprofits, ensuring that our reach extends to different causes and demographics.” This season, the Ice Flyers plan to continue the tradition of designating each month to a specific charity. Additionally, there will be multiple opportunities during games and organizations to fundraise, and they will continue to sponsor various local events. “Our goal is to leverage our platform and resources to improve the lives of as many individuals in our own community as possible,” Harris said. Finally, Gary Graham will be returning to the Ice Flyers as head coach for the first time since he brought the team to a SPHL championship in 2013. We’ve conducted a Q&A with Coach Graham that expands upon his career and journey back to Pensacola. For more information about the Pensacola Ice Flyers and the season schedule, visit iceflyers.comor checkout @pcolaiceflyers on Facebook and Instagram.

PENSACOLA ICE FLYERS RETURN TO THE RINK FOR 15TH SEASON By Darien Hardy

T

he Ice Flyers are embarking on their fifteenth season here in Pensacola with the intention of honoring local history and

Q&A with Returning Ice Flyers Coach, Gary Graham Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your professional background? I started coaching at the age of 22, working with high school teams and AAA for four years. I then became an assistant coach for a pro team in Ft. Wayne, and I stayed there for another four years, during which we won three championships. The following year, I was fortunate enough to be offered the head coach job in Pensacola and we won a championship here. After that, I worked as a head coach in Ft. Wayne for six years before taking on coaching jobs in Beijing, Indy, Omaha, and Nottingham. Now, I am excited to return to Pensacola, where it all started for me. What drew you to coaching as a career? I have always gravitated toward leadership roles. I was class president in highschool and captain of my hockey team. I started my business when I was 20. Making decisions, solving problems, competing and, most importantly, developing the relationships with your players are really special in this line of work. How would you best describe your coaching style? I like to play an aggressive style. [Hockey] is an entertainment business so there is an element of finding the right players with personalities and characteristics that fit that identity.

looking ahead to a bright future. The team is ready to keep up the momentum from last season and looks forward to providing nothing but the best for their loyal fans. Director of Marketing and Oper-

ations for the Ice Flyers, Brenden Arney said the team is focusing on storytelling and gameday experience. “With our storytelling, we want to give an inside look to our connection with our city and fans, harness some of the roaring emotions that our sport cultivates and tell our season’s story by capturing and sharing all the blood, sweat and tears that come with the pursuit of another championship,” Arney said. While the Ice Flyers staff is already extremely proud of the gameday experience offered, they are never satisfied. This year, fans will be able to play new mobile games that will win them prizes during the matches, join in on exciting intermission contests and be a part of an immersive experience. While building out the theme night schedule, the Ice Flyers staff made it a priority to include a themed game for everyone. Fans can expect to see the return of their favorite themes, a handful of brand new themes and some twists on the classics. The Ice Flyers are bringing back popular themes such as Star Wars Night, Mardi Gras Night and Peanuts Night. Batman Night is a new addition to the themed games. Additionally, Small Dog Fright Night will be a fun twist on the fan-favorite Small Dog Race Night. “Where else can you see small dogs racing on ice in funny costumes?” Arney asked. Speaking of dogs, the Ice Flyers are also welcoming a new team

I understand that you brought the Pensacola Ice Flyers team to a 2013 SPHL Championship win. What brings you back to the team as head coach now? Pensacola is a great city with great fans. Greg Harris is a special owner in that he gets the hockey side and business side very well. Seeing what Greg and the rest of his staff has built over the past 10 years is very impressive, and I look forward to playing a role in our future successes. What are some of your big plans for the Ice Flyers in this upcoming season? We have a strong core of returning players. To challenge them daily, I plan to set personal goals for each player and encourage them to achieve these goals. I believe that individual player success is tightly linked to team success, so I want to see each player contribute to the team’s daily goals. As a development league, personal growth is essential for our players. This growth also happens off the ice and out in the community. I believe that professional sports provide us with an opportunity to make a positive impact in the local community, and I look forward to working with the team to find ways to give back. Is there anything that you would like readers to know that I may not have asked about? I’m married with two amazing kids and four dogs. ■

visit SummationWeekly.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Summation Weekly - October 18, 2023 by Ballinger Publishing - Issuu