February 24, 2010
Homegrown Berman a Polar Bears lifer
Chase Berman is hoping to parlay his seasoning with the Polar Bears into a college opportunity.
Chance Berman grew up around Polar Bears. Er, Phoenix Polar Bears.
Berman, a lifelong rink rat, started as a Squirt in the Polar Bears Youth Hockey Association when he was 10. He'd see the junior players walk around the rink and tell himself that, one day, he'd be in their shoes.
"I just learned a lot from all those guys," Berman said.
That one day came last season.
"I always looked up to the Polar Bears and the organization," Berman said. "I always wanted to make the junior team. That was definitely a goal for me from the start, because they were always big and successful and stuff."
Berman has known the Polar Bears' head coach, Harry Mahood, since he started playing hockey and would attend camps hosted through the organization.
"I've just been around the program my whole hockey career," said Berman, who moved to AA hockey as a Bantam and then to juniors his second year of 18 AA.
"He rose from all levels within the facility to be a dominating Junior A power forward," Mahood said. "Naturally, Chance is another great story of what's possible when player passion meets opportunity."
He serves as an example of a vision Mahood had where "players could grow and develop to one day play Junior A and eventually college hockey."
With 150 college products coming from the Polar system over the past 10 years, Mahood said, "I'd say that the dividends of development are paying off for many players, including great one such as (North Dakota recruit) Colten St. Clair or (women's standout) Lyndsey Fry, who spent their formative development years within our program."
A few weeks into the second half of the Polar Bears' season, Berman had five goals and 10 assists.
"Chance's role changed significantly this season," Mahood said. "Last season, we asked him to be a responsible, puck-managing, disciplined player, which he accomplished. This year, we asked him to build on that foundation to provide more offense and leadership, which he's also done a great job with."
It's not just on-ice quality that Berman provides, though.
"He brings the same consistent game to the rink everyday," Mahood said. "He's a very caring person and committed to getting better everyday. He cares more about the people around him than he does himself. From there, he goes on the ice and brings a consistent level of play that's second to none in Tier III Junior A hockey."
Berman's father, Brad, has been a prominent figure in the Arizona hockey community for years. He currently serves as president of the Arizona Hockey Union.
"He's definitely been a huge influence on me," Chance Berman said of his dad. "He's been my coach since I was 10. He's been beside me and helped me along with anything I've needed. He's been a good shoulder to lean on."
So has the Polar program as a whole. Now, it's setting Berman up for the next step: college hockey.
"I've always wanted to play college hockey somewhere, whether it's D-III or D-I," Berman said. "But I'd like to get a good education out of playing hockey. If hockey can take me to a good school, that'd be great."
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