By Stephen Underwood

The Northern Michigan Black Bears, the only United States team in the Northern Ontario Junior “A” Hockey League, will move to Sault Ste. Marie for the 2005-2006 season, leaving St. Ignace after two years. The team will need to replace the head coach, Gerry Lortie, who has retired.

The Black Bears have struggled in St. Ignace to build attendance at home games to a level that would provide financial support. In its last effort, the owners asked fans to pledge $85,000 to keep the team in St. Ignace, but only received commitments for just $7,050. The question now is whether the team will play at Big Bear arena or Pullar Stadium.

“We’re definitely moving to the Sault,” said owner Mark Mercer. “Which rink we play at is up in the air for now. Proposals are in the works for each one, and it depends which offers us the better deal.”

The team is negotiating with Bill McDermott at the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ Chi Mukwa (Big Bear) Community Recreation Center and with Dan Wyers, the Sault Ste. Marie recreation director, for Pullar Stadium. A decision could come as early as mid-May.

Dr. Mercer expressed gratitude to the fans in St. Ignace. Dozens of cheering supporters displayed their loyalty during the NOJHL Championship series, making three trips to Big Bear to watch the team battle North Bay and give the facility a true home-ice feel. In the regular season, many fans were consistent attendees at Little Bear East Arena in St. Ignace.

At mid-season, knowing the team’s local status was already in jeopardy, a group that included team housing coordinator Rosemary Gustin, St. Ignace Elementary School Principal Bonnie Ledy, Darcy McLean, and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janet Peterson developed promotions for almost every remaining night of the season to attract people to Little Bear and help connect the community to the team. Promotions included player autograph sessions and discount nights.

The team was considerably more successful this season, winning more games, taking the Western Division regular-season crown, and rolling through two playoff series before finally losing to North Bay in the championship, four games to two.

Despite the promotions and team success, the season-average attendance improved from 200 to just 220 fans, Dr. Mercer said, barely more than half of what the team needed to break even. Civic leaders and others who had said in surveys that they would support the team, failed to come out, he said. The modest population base, the geographic spread of potential fans, and the challenge of competing against local high school sports were other factors that made it difficult to get the needed 350 to 450 fans to games.

Dr. Mercer said it would be unlikely the team would play any games at St. Ignace next year.

“The only way would be if we sold the tickets in advance,” he said. “We wouldn’t come for a crowd of 180 or something. That’s why we’re leaving in the first place.”

He said there has been no decision about a replacement for Head Coach Gerry Lortie, who retired after the season to spend more time with his family, but Assistant Coach Bart Jarrett is the leading candidate.

“He’s been with the organization and the kids know him,” Dr. Mercer said. “He’s been a head coach in the league before. We expect all of the other staff members to return.”

Mr. Lortie coached at Blind River.

The club will have to develop a new billet family program, which finds host families for the out-of-town players, in Sault Ste. Marie, but Dr. Mercer said the transition will probably not be difficult given the network previously set up for the Soo Kewadin Indians. The Indians, a U.S. Junior Hockey League team owned by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is disbanding after the season. This is part of the reason Big Bear is looking for a new tenant.

“The Indians are not going to be there as far as we know, but it is possible that someone could buy the club at the last minute,” said Dr. Mercer.

It is expected that about half of the Black Bears players will return next season, including goalie Tony Stoehr and forward captain Michael Herbert. Those departing to play college hockey include Bill Brennen (Syracuse), Colin Sarfeh (Lake Forest or Fredonia State), Steve Kruszewski (Fredonia State), and John Nogatch (Wayne State).