A new hockey team, the Bakersfield Roughnecks, will help meet a need for player development that exists between youth and college play. Hockey is unlike most other sports in that players don’t typically go directly from high school to college hockey. There is a gap where players need to continue to develop in size and skill before making the jump to higher education.

Starting this Fall, the Bakersfield Roughnecks will be a Tier III junior hockey team, for players age 16 to 20, as part of the Premier Pacific Division of the United States Premier Hockey League. They will travel to places like Fresno and Las Vegas for competitive play while home games will be held at the Valley Children’s Ice Center.  Founders Chris and Sara Gregory have been active in the local hockey community for almost 20 years. Head coach Paul Willet, spent five years playing with the Bakersfield Condors, and another 16 years coaching hockey at the Ice Center.

“Being that teams at this level are made up of players from all over the world, the players learn life skills while continuing to be pushed and coached to the next level. Our team will be very active in the community, attend classes, and will have part-time employment while working hard to advance to the next level, whether it be college or a higher level of Junior play,” Sara Gregory says. “With such a strong hockey fan base in Bakersfield, we are hoping to have a great turnout at the games, giving the boys an awesome hometown crowd to play for.”

For more information, please visit USPHL.com or find them @bakersfieldroughnecks on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.