Reign Add Walls To Hockey Operations Staff
Bobby Walls joins Reign as Equipment Manager and Head Athletic Trainer

ONTARIO Calif. – The Ontario Reign of the ECHL, proud affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, announced today that they have hired Bobby Walls M.A., ATC as Equipment Manager and Head Athletic Trainer for the 2008-09 season.

Walls joins the Reign after spending the past year with the University of Southern California Men’s basketball team as the Assistant Athletic Trainer.  

“We are thrilled to have Bobby join our staff as head athletic trainer and equipment manager,” said Justin Kemp, Executive Vice President of Business Operations.  “I have known and worked with Bobby for several years and he is one of the most respected individuals in his field.  Our players will have first-rate care during their time with the Reign.”

A California State University Dominguez Hill graduate, Walls received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Training in 2002 and a Master of Arts degree in Physical Education Administration in 2007.
 
“I am excited to join this great franchise,” stated Walls. “It is great to have history with the ownership and the group that I will be working with. I look forward to having a successful season.”

Walls brings a wealth of experience to the Reign which include a background working as a Rehabilitation Athletic Trainer for the Los Angeles Kings, Head Athletic Trainer and Equipment Manager for the former ECHL Long Beach Ice Dogs and as an Athletic Trainer for the West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation.

ECHL
Began in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 23 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 828 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Eighteen of the 23 teams have played at least five years in their current city.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans. The league has drawn over four million fans each of the last five years and 11 times in the past 12 seasons.

There have been 355 former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including 99 in the last three seasons. There have been 210 former ECHL players who have played their first game in the NHL in the past seven season.

REIGN DROPS
Stay up to date on all news Ontario Reign related with the new Ontario Reign gydget! The gydget updates as soon as new stories are posted to the Reign website or myspace page. Grab the gydget and add it to your website, myspace, facebook or other social network, even your Windows Vista desktop! Do you need tickets to an upcoming Reign game or Citizens Business Bank Arena event? The Ontario Reign gydget makes it easy to buy tickets from the integrated events tab. Download the Ontario Reign gydget here.

Season tickets and mini-plans for the Ontario Reign’s Inaugural season presented by the Mission Inn (www.missioninn.com) are on sale now and offer an affordable entertainment option for families and residents of the Inland Empire. All full-season tickets include parking and access to all thirty-six home games starting at only $332, a savings of up to 25% off regular ticket prices! Mini plans begin at only $99 and include savings of up to 10% off walk-up prices! For more information about Reign season tickets or mini-plans contact the Reign office at (909) 941-PUCK (7825) or visit www.ontarioreign.com.

Visit the Reign on the web at www.ontarioreign.com for all of the latest news surrounding Ontario Reign Professional Hockey.

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