30 Gary Rader

Before the jerseys, the logos, and the late-night whistle jams, there was Gary Rader with a spreadsheet, a stack of rink contracts, and a stubborn belief that the hometown needed its own league. He wrangled ice times no one else could get, called refs at midnight, ran drafts out of the snack bar, and turned a handful of diehards into the Bender Hockey League. Around here, “OG” isn’t slang—it’s a job description. Gary’s now a lifetime member of the BHL Board of Directors, the steady hand who kept the lights on and the barn full.

It’s even better having him back in a sweater. Rader plays the way he built the league: smart, efficient, and team-first. He wins faceoffs, takes the tough defensive assignments, and makes the quiet little plays that hold a game together—chip to space, shoulder check, clean exit. No drama, no panic. If there’s a one-goal lead to protect, he’s over the boards without a word.

He still carries the founder’s presence on the bench—calm voice, quick smile, a reminder to “make the next play.” The gear’s a touch old-school, the habits are pro, and the respect is universal. BHL exists because Gary Rader refused to let it be anything less than real hockey in a hometown rink. Now that he’s lacing them up again, it feels like the league’s circle is complete: the architect back on the ice, still making the right play.