Bracknell Bees
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Bracknell Bees
Ice Hockey Club
Article provided by John Slater, Press & Media Officer
Images courtesy of Kevin Slyfield
The Bracknell Bees are an ice hockey club who are currently set to play in the
National Ice Hockey League Division 1 South, here in the UK, for the 2017-18
season. The National Ice Hockey League Division 1 (NIHL) is the second tier of
UK ice hockey following the disbandment of the English Premier Ice Hockey
League at the end of last season.
A combination of two teams leaving
for the first tier of UK Ice Hockey,
the Elite Ice Hockey League, and the
unfortunate folding of a third team saw
the remaining teams join with others
from the National Ice Hockey League in a
league re-structuring. The Bees will face
teams from Basingstoke, Cardiff, Invicta,
London, Milton Keynes, Peterborough,
Streatham and Swindon in the league
and also Telford in the National Cup this
coming campaign.
The club itself was founded in 1987
and until around 2007 had a vibrant
history as a club winning several major
honours in their first twenty years. More
recently the club has been under the
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management of four different entities
over the past ten years and the club has
struggled on the ice, for the most part,
and off the ice more recently with some
difficult times financially.
At the start of last season a new
management team stepped in to save
the club following the withdrawal
of the previous management. It took
a concerted effort from the new
directorship and a “Save The Bees”
campaign involving local businesses,
media and the dedication of the Bees
fans and fans from around the country
to see the club saved and take part in the
league last season.
The club moves into this coming
season on the back of a rebuilding season,
both on and off the ice. Rebuilding of
relationships with sponsors, fans and
the local community have given the
club a firm base to build on and closer
ties and relationships with both the
John Nike Leisuresport Group, the
owners and operators of the ice rink in
Bracknell which the Bees call home, and
the Bracknell Ice Hockey Club (BIHC),
the junior ice hockey club at Bracknell
which sees children from all age groups
developing their ice hockey skillset with
a view to one day taking their place in
the Bees line-up.