TOP CHEEZ Swag

11/03/2026

YAY! It's Election Day! 🇺🇸

Just sayin'. 😂

Now, back to hockey. 🏒

11/03/2026

One position can determine whether a team ever takes the floor.

Issue 9 of HWB WEEKLY examines the goalie question—and the practical remedy we are preparing.

USA Ball Hockey has committed two youth goalie sets, 75 sticks and 50 balls to Top Cheez Sports Initiative. Once the equipment arrives, we intend to introduce a new goalie-discovery opportunity where young players can try the position using shared gear before their families make a major purchase or long-term commitment.

Plus, in Coaches’ Corner: Tony Dungy or Bob Knight?

We explain why calm leadership, clear standards and respect—not intimidation—will define the coaching culture at Hockey Without Boundaries.

Read Issue 9 and sign up for HWB WEEKLY—it’s free.

Does your child want to try goalie? Message to join the early interest list.

BALL HOCKEY. TODAY’S GAME.

11/03/2026

AURORA, COLORADO. WHY NOT THE BEST BALL HOCKEY PLAYERS ON THE PLANET?

There's something about Aurora that makes it an ideal place to build a new generation of exceptional ball hockey players. And it has nothing to do with being a traditional hockey town.

Aurora is young, diverse, athletic, and filled with kids who have never been given a meaningful opportunity to discover hockey. That's not a weakness. That's an enormous, largely untapped talent pool.

Think about it. Ball hockey rewards speed, agility, endurance, hand-eye coordination, creativity, and the ability to make decisions in fractions of a second. Those qualities aren't exclusive to kids who grew up playing hockey. They're found on basketball courts, soccer fields, playgrounds, and in school gyms throughout this city.

The talent is already here. The opportunity hasn't always been.

What makes Aurora especially promising is the opportunity to introduce the sport without generations of established hockey culture determining who belongs, who gets selected, or who can afford to participate.

We can build something different from the ground up. A development system that welcomes beginners, identifies athletic potential, teaches the game properly, develops competitive teams, and gives young players something meaningful to pursue.

And Aurora isn't alone.

Communities across America have the same ingredients: athletic kids, neighborhood parks, recreation centers, schools, and families looking for accessible, competitive team sports. Ball hockey has an opportunity to connect those pieces and create an entirely new generation of players.

But access alone won't produce great athletes. Great coaching, consistent development, meaningful competition, and long-term commitment will.

That's the challenge we're embracing through TOP CHEEZ Sports Initiative and Hockey Without Boundaries.

We're not simply trying to introduce more kids to hockey. We're working toward building a culture capable of developing outstanding players, competitive teams, and eventually athletes who can compete with the best in the world.

Why shouldn't some of them come from Aurora?

BALL HOCKEY. TODAY'S GAME.

MAKING BALL HOCKEY EVERYONE'S HOCKEY.

11/02/2026

Youth sports organizers deserve a special award.

You start out wanting to teach kids a game.

Six months later, you're a coach, fundraiser, equipment manager, marketing director, scheduler, referee recruiter, and part-time meteorologist.

And somebody still wants to know why the jerseys aren't here yet. 😂

Welcome to grassroots sports.

THE RINK REPORT

11/01/2026

WHEN A COMMUNITY DECIDES ITS RINK MATTERS.

In Barre, Vermont, a community ice rink faced an uncertain opening after its cooling system failed. Local contractors, businesses, and volunteers stepped in to help get it ready for the season.

There's a larger story here about the future of hockey facilities.

We spend plenty of time discussing who owns the rinks, who profits from them, and what families pay to use them. But there's another question worth examining: What happens when a community treats its rink as infrastructure worth protecting?

Volunteer labor won't solve every facility's financial problems. But community commitment, public investment, and responsible management can be a powerful combination.

Sometimes the most important investment in hockey isn't made by an investment firm.

THE RINK REPORT | THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING HOCKEY

10/31/2026

🏒 SIGNED BY THE PROS. SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION.

Own a piece of NHL history while helping us bring portable scoreboards to Wheel Park in Aurora!

We're releasing two authentic NHLPA-certified, autographed 8×10 photographs as part of our TOP CHEEZ Sports Initiative equipment fundraising campaign.

🔥 THE COLLECTIBLES

⭐ Gabriel Landeskog — $125

⭐ Clayton Keller — $75

🎁 BUY BOTH — $180 (SAVE $20!)

Each photograph includes its NHLPA Certificate of Authenticity.

🏒 YOUR PURCHASE HAS A PURPOSE.

We're raising $2,400 for two portable scoreboards to support our OPEN RINK Youth Showcases and future youth ball hockey leagues at Wheel Park.

📦 HOW TO PURCHASE

DM us to claim your collectible.

We'll confirm availability and shipping cost.

Pay via Zelle

Your collectible ships securely with tracking after payment confirmation.

🚨 ONLY ONE OF EACH AVAILABLE. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.

Every purchase brings us closer to putting a scoreboard on the rink and more kids into the game.

BALL HOCKEY. TODAY'S GAME.

10/31/2026

Not every important voice in sports has a podcast, a large following, or a seat at the decision-making table.

Sometimes the person who understands a sport's biggest challenges is the volunteer who's spent 15 years keeping a local league running.

Or the rink operator who knows exactly why programs succeed or disappear.

I'm interested in those perspectives.

What's one thing you've learned from working in sports that people outside your world rarely understand?

I'd genuinely like to hear it.

THE RINK REPORT on Substack

10/30/2026

SOME HOUSES COME WITH HISTORY.

Cheez Dawg's family just moved into their new home.

Nice neighborhood. Quiet street. Friendly neighbors.

Then Cheez Dawg started digging in the backyard.

Three holes, two suspicious suitcases, a mysterious photograph, and a briefcase full of cash later…

The family is seriously reconsidering the home inspection.

Cheez Dawg? He's just looking for his bone.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM TOP CHEEZ SPORTS INITIATIVE!

Have a ridiculously fun night, watch for traffic, stick with your crew, and remember: if your dog digs up something wearing a fedora, PUT IT BACK.

Stay safe out there!

10/30/2026

10/30/2026

TOO HOT TO HANDLE.

Cheez Dawg was told to chill.

So he bought a kiddie pool, ordered a tropical drink, stole somebody's sunglasses, and declared himself the official Director of Hydration.

He's been in the pool for three hours.

The kids have already finished practice.

Twice.

Somebody please tell this Dawg that floating next to a hockey ball does NOT count as conditioning. 😂

Meanwhile, we're building real youth ball hockey teams in Aurora, Colorado, and looking for the next generation of players, whether they've played hockey before or not.

Ages 11–14 | Boys & Girls | All Skill Levels

OPEN RINK YOUTH SHOWCASE — 2027

Pre-register today!

No ice. No excuses. Just hockey.

PLAY ANYWAY.