Alivetwice

The Origin

BASH or Bay Area Street Hockey started in 1991 by Mitchell Friedman; a Noe Valley resident who grew up playing street hockey on Long Island. An ad that Friedman placed in the newspaper led to Saturday morning pickup games at James Lick Middle School. Pick up later advanced to formal league with a commissioner.

BASH is played on foot with a red ball in at “the Link” enclosed on three sides with walls and the fourth side by Border Patrol padding.

The Players

The league is friendly with players ranging from intermediate to advanced. It includes players who have played professional hockey such as Matt Zilinskas who has faced world class competition throughout Europe and Canada.There are a good number of Canadians and Massachusetts natives who have grown up playing on ice that up the level of competition. There are several brave women that play as well.

The dedication and level of commitment of these players are noteworthy. Half of them commute from all over Silicon Valley and the East Bay, and even as far as Sacramento, Salinas, and Palm Springs.

Age Range

The age range spans 3 decades from those as young as 17 to 47. The average age was somewhere in the mid twenties when the league was founded. Since then, many have gotten married and had children. They are supported weekly but their family fans with enthusiasm.

The Teams

In 1991 four teams existed: the Seals, the Flames, the Whales, and the Caenadians. Since then the league has expanded to six teams. The league tracks stats, has a rulebook and an active message board. http://www.3rdbase.com/bash/jw/mb.asp