CBR Brave to hand club founder Peter Chamberlain inaugural award

One of the CBR Brave’s original founders, Peter Chamberlain, will become the Brave’s number one ticket holder for 2020 after being named the inaugural ‘BRAVEST ONE’. The honour will be formally bestowed at a home game in the early part of the upcoming season.

Chamberlain was one of the people who kickstarted the Canberra club, which has become one of the AIHL’s most successful clubs.

Each year, one ambassador will be selected by the Brave and receive a life membership following the season. The Brave said the honour is for individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to developing the franchise into what is has become today.

Chamberlain’s honour came as the CBR Brave announced that AllInsure, a foundation sponsor of the Brave, would continue their sponsorship of the club for the seventh season.

The success of the Brave over the last two years has been eye opening to say the least, but Chamberlain explained that he could not be prouder of how the club overcame tough times in 2014 to claim the H Newman Reid Trophy and the Goodall Cup in 2018, while winning the H Newman Reid Trophy again in the 2019 season.

“It has been an amazing journey … from sitting in a kitchen with players from the Canberra Knights and discussing wanting to get a license back then getting a team on the ice within a four-to-five week period,” Chamberlain said.

“The team is largely and widely considered the most professionally run team in this amateur league. It has been a journey in the making to say the least.

“I know the owners of other teams were taken aback when we started to do things a bit differently, but they now see us as the benchmark they strive to meet.”

Being named the first BRAVEST ONE caught Chamberlain by surprise, but he said that his work will never be done to justify that kind of recognition.

“I was a little bit speechless when I was first told,” Chamberlain mentioned.

“We don’t take on these roles for accolades such as this, that’s certainly not why I do it or why I’m involved. In saying that, it is humbling and it’s really great recognition of the work we have put in and the sacrifices we have made to build and run this club. I’m grateful that others see and recognise what we do and I’m truly honoured to be the first person receive this award.”

The Brave are continually raising their profile as a franchise that has a very tight-knit community in the Canberra region despite the loss of the Canberra Knights team. Ever the team player, Chamberlain spoke glowingly of everyone that has been involved with the Brave one way or another.

“When we took over I wasn’t sure what sort of fan base we would have,” Chamberlain said. “We had fans when the Knights folded with tins collecting money and selling cakes to try and raise money to get a team back in the league.

“That was the first indication that the Canberra ice hockey community was something really special, but then watching over the last six years we would see people that were socially awkward and didn’t have a place to fit in and rocked up to games alone, but as the weeks and years went on, these individuals were formed into groups, they found a place to belong in our community.

“One of the initiatives we put in place over the last two years is to get young fans and take them into the change room after a win. Sharing that moment with the kids is one of the proudest things about being a part of the Brave.”

New Brave CEO Dan Amodio was proud to recognise Chamberlain’s hard work and all that he has brought the Brave since its inception.

“We are excited to honour Peter, who has put so much time and expertise into bringing the club to where it is.

“Peter and the other founders have been critical in helping turn the club into what it has become. Peter has truly left his mark throughout the organisation and we’re happy to celebrate that with this award. ”

To learn more about the CBR Brave, including ticketing and merchandise, visit CBR Brave.