BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield is getting a new hockey team.
The United States Premier Hockey League announced it's adding the Bakersfield Roughnecks for the 2022-23 season.
The team will join the USPHL Premier League's Pacific Division at play their home games at Valley Children’s Ice Center.
The founders of the Roughnecks, Christian and Sara Gregory, have a longtime involvement with youth hockey in Bakersfield.
“For the last three years, I’ve been the President of Bakersfield Jr. Condors Youth Hockey, and Sara is on the board. We have been involved with the organization for 15 years. I know this town can support this junior program, and we’re excited to bring a new level of hockey to town to join with the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors, the Edmonton Oilers’ top farm team,” said Christian Gregory in a press release.
The Gregory family became involved with hockey through their sons.
“Our big thing is we pride ourselves on being involved, we had three boys that we started in youth hockey and moved on to juniors and college hockey. Our youngest son is at home, currently,” said Sara Gregory in a press release. “We were able to create new Learn to Play and Learn to Skate programs in town here, even during the worst of the COVID crisis. This is the next step for us.”
The USPHL was founded in 2012 and features more 550 teams in a variety of divisions ranging in age from 6 to 21.
“The United States Premier Hockey League is thrilled to welcome the Bakersfield Roughnecks to start play in the USPHL Premier next season. We are excited to be part of the growth of junior hockey, and hockey as a whole, in the vibrant market that is California,” said USPHL Commissioner Bob Turow in a statement. “We are also excited to see another junior hockey team working alongside a fine professional team such as the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.”
