by Ross Forman – Windy City Times
The inaugural Border Battle is set for April 15 at the Allstate Arena in suburban Rosemont.
The Chicago Gay Hockey Association ( CGHA ) Blackwolves play host to the Madison ( Wis. ) Gay Hockey Association ( MGHA ) Thunder in the CGHA’s third annual Wolves Night Out, the association’s largest annual fund-raiser, at 12:30 p.m. ( The Chicago Wolves play the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights at 5 p.m. )
The Blackwolves have played a local gay-friendly team in the past Wolves Night Out games—and won both years. This time, though, it’s more than a friendly team; it’s an actual LGBT battle for icy bragging rights.
“We’re very excited for this year’s Wolves Night Out game,” said CGHA President Ryan Ruskin. “It will be a great game and certainly will expand and expose the MidwestÂ’s strong LGBT ice hockey community to a large audience. The MGHA will be a great opponent, especially considering the number of players they have to choose from for their all-star team.”
The MGHA was formed last fall and quickly developed into one of the nation’s great LGBT sporting stories. It was the largest worldwide launch of an LGBT ice hockey league and now boasts 61 players on four teams.
The MGHA held its inaugural season championship in mid-February, and several hundred attended, including Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and local news anchor/MGHA board member Mitch Weber, who was master of ceremonies. Plus, the University of Wisconsin synchronized skating team performed, according to a MGHA press release.
Members of PFLAG ( Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays ) ; a local high school Gay/Straight Alliance; and members of the Madison AIDS Network and OutReach also attended.
“The MGHA is a great addition to the ever-growing LGBT ice hockey community,” Ruskin said. “We’re happy they accepted our invitation to play, and know the fans will enjoy this game between two of the nation’s best LGBT programs.”
The MGHA has 38 male skaters and 23 females. Of its 61, 49 come from the greater Madison area. They also have five from Milwaukee ( 75 miles away ) , two from Racine ( 100 miles ) and two from Green Bay ( 130 ) .
More than half of players on the MGHA roster was players with less than two years of hockey experience and about 95 percent fall within the LGBT community.
The CGHA was founded about five years ago by Chicagoan Chuck Jacobson, who was inspired after attending a gay hockey tournament in New York City. The CGHA now has about 30 skaters.
For its first two seasons, the team was named SPIN and played in the Vernon HillsÂ’ Glacier Ice Arena men’s league. Now known as the Blackwolves, the team plays in the Rolling Meadows Park District Adult Men’s League and in a league at the McFetridge Park District Ice Rink in Chicago.
The CGHA has had incredible success in recent years. Just consider:
•Rolling Meadows H2-B ( Level 5 ) League Championship, Winter 2004/05.
•Rolling Meadows H2-A League Championship, Winter 2005/06.
•2005 Coors Cup championship, hosted by the L.A. Blades over Labor Day weekend 2005. For its tournament win, the CGHA received $1,000 in prize money that was donated to the Hurricane Relief Fund and VitalBridges.
•Bronze medal, Gay Games 2006.
The CGHA-MGHA battle will be held prior to the Chicago WolvesÂ’ final 2006-07 regular season game against the Omaha ( Neb. ) Ak-Sar-Ben Knights.
Tickets to the Border Battle are only $20 and include a seat at the Wolves game plus a between-games reception.
To order tickets, or for more information on the CGHA, contact Chuck Jacobson at 773-968-7474 or . Plus, tickets are available on the CGHAÂ’s Web site: www.chicagogayhockey.org .