For more information:
Cathy Hamilton
541-338-0549 (office)
541-914-4748 (cell)
May 10, 2005
EUGENE’S NEW JUNIOR B HOCKEY TEAM ANNOUNCES NAME, UNVEILS LOGO, INTRODUCES COACH AT CELEBRATION
Eugene, OR – Just over a month ago, Eugene’s sports community celebrated the announcement of an all-new Junior B hockey team and since then, the rumor mill has churned out a surprising number and array of possible team names. Team management put all speculation to rest Tuesday when it announced the team’s name, unveiled its logo and introduced its coach.
“We wanted a name that signaled a strategic, advancing, powerful presence on the ice!” Team Owner Ken Evans explained at a gathering of hockey fans. “Something aggressive. Something smart. And that is what led us to name this team the Eugene Generals!”
The Generals’ logo was displayed on the team’s first official jersey, and sports a blue and gold combination. It was enthusiastically received by the fans, who went home with commemorative pucks.
The event also served to formally announce the team’s coach. Robert Freeland played competitive hockey before he began his coaching career in 1987. He has been a USA Hockey Pacific District Player Evaluator since 1995 and has been a coach at five USA Hockey Festivals. Since 2000, he has been the General Manager for the Portland Pioneers; two of those years he was also Assistant Coach and the Pioneers were the champions of the Northern Pacific Hockey League.
The new team will be part of that league, which includes Oregon, Washington and Montana. It will recruit 20-25 players from around the world. Scouting will include stops in Chicago, Las Vegas, Vancouver B.C., Colorado Springs, Lake Placid and Detroit. Tryouts will be open and begin in August, with the first game scheduled for September. The team will welcome spectators at several open practices, which will be publicized.
For more information, visit www.eugenegenerals.com.