By Joe Maniscalco
A team of Bergen Beach police officers, electricians, videographers and construction workers iced bragging rights in Aviator Sports & Recreation’s inaugural season of adult hockey competition this week. The talented squad capped off a stellar 11-1 season with a convincing 6-2 win over a team from neighboring Marine Park. “They’re all basically friends of ours,” said Bergen Beach team organizer Tommy Giordano. “It’s was great.” Frank Balsamo led the way for Bergen Beach scoring a hat-trick while Joe Cordano, Danny Balsamo and Joe Gibbons each chipped on the score sheet with a goal apiece before it was all over. Bergen Beach net minder Anthony McElwee, meanwhile, kept the door shut tight throughout, letting in only a pair for Marine Park. Sanitation worker Sean Masi said he hadn’t been around a hockey rink in about seven years, but was happy to lace up the skates for what would become Bergen Beach’s championship season. “I lost a lot of my game since the last time I played,” Masi said, “but I figured I’d give it a shot.” Aviator Sports & Recreation split this year’s adult hockey action into A, B and C divisions based on skill levels. Bergen Beach cruised to the top of the C division, but is looking forward to moving up to the B division when the 10-week winter season starts up shortly. “We went into the C division because we weren’t really sure how it was going to be,” said Masi. The response to the first year of organized adult ice hockey at Floyd Bennett Field’s top-notch facilities has been overwhelming even though the Flatbush Avenue rink remains virtually inaccessible by mass transportation. The C division started out with just six teams in the fall and quickly grew into 16 full squads. Open hockey nights at the rink are packed, regular attendees say, and getting a spot on the ice is not always easy. “Last time I was there they had 47 guys out there,” Masi said. Giordano said that playing hockey at Floyd Bennett Field has been “perfect.” “This is something that Brooklyn needed 20 years ago,” he said. The championship Bergen Beach players – many of whom spent the summer playing together in the newly-formed Kings Bay roller hockey league – range in age from 25 to 35. “We’re always playing hockey,” Giordano said. The new season of adult hockey is starting up now at Aviator Sports & Recreation. Co-ed and children’s programs are also available. For more information call 718-758-9800 or contact hockey@aviatorsports.com.
