NEWS

Melissa Burgess of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres is the 2018-19 recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL).

The Buffalo native is in her fifth season with the franchise. Her job description is vast.

“Melissa is a tireless volunteer, always looking to enhance experience for our fans both in game and via social media,” said Jr. Sabres General Manager Charlie Mendola. “She leads all social media platforms, ensuring content is aligned to our overall mission of promoting our program and players. Additionally, she organizes special events like our 20-year-old player recognition ceremony, player community involvement and our organization’s holiday food drive.  

Melissa also manages the team’s Pointstreak online scorekeeping for each game day, ensuring diligently other volunteers are ready to track the game. She has also pinch-hit as colour commentator for a few Hockey TV broadcasts this season.  

An NHL Sabres fan since the age of 5 – thanks to her mom – she was looking for ways to combine her loves of writing and hockey after graduating from State University of New York College at Buffalo. Enter blogging, social media posting – and the Jr. Sabres.

The 28-year-old has written about hockey for several outlets during the past six years, covering the NHL Buffalo Sabres, prospects and women's hockey. 

By day, she’s a Development and Communications Clerk at the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. Like her home and the Jr. Sabres’ home rink, HarborCentre, the library is in downtown Buffalo.

That convenience is important when you attended 63 home hockey games this season.

“It’s like a family (with the Jr. Sabres),” she told the OJHL. “I really like that. After our Game 7 win (Wednesday), our captain (Adam Tretowicz) came over and thanked me for the ceremony honouring the graduating players. That sort of thing makes a difference. I like that family atmosphere.”

Family? Her husband of almost three years, Ryan Burgess, is the OJHL team’s public address announcer and music director. They met on Twitter.

“Melissa is well rounded, dedicated and always looking for ways to make our organization better,” Mendola said.

Melissa and other OJHL award winners will be honoured at a ceremony this spring.

About the OJHL – “League of Choice”

The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 22 member clubs. A proud member of the CJHL and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including U Sports, the NCAA, CHL, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL had more than 135 commitments in 2017-18, including 65 NCAA Division I scholarships.

For more information on the Ontario Junior Hockey League, please visit www.ojhl.ca or follow us on Twitter (@OJHLOfficial) and Facebook (OJHLOfficial).