The Bethesda company ruining youth hockey

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

Main guy lives in Bethesda. Might be unwise to provoke neighbors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least in the US. The Canadian system, while not perfect, isn't this corrupt.

What? Do a little research. The Canadian system of billeting players aged 16-20 for Juniors has been a major problem. Corrupt, maybe not in a financial sense. The amount of players that suffer both physical and sexual abuse is well documented. The amount of billeted players that develop alcohol and drug abuse issues is documented. The fact that these kids are essentially raised without their parents in very important formative years leads to things like recent Canadian 5 hockey players rape scandal.

No the Canadian system is far, far from perfect.

+1 Read the book We Breed Lions by Rick Westhead. It is an eye-opening look at Canadian junior hockey.

[Anonymous]

Thanks OP, great article. Truthfully, is anyone in our area really surprised when there are potentially blurred lines re nonprofit and affiliated for-profits?

[Anonymous]

more from USA Today:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/08/takeaways-usa-today-black-bear-investigation/89984520007/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:more from USA Today:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/08/takeaways-usa-today-black-bear-investigation/89984520007/

You've got to give it to him, the guy's consistent:

A pattern of unethical practices

Long before he started Black Bear, Gunty developed a reputation in the finance world for using unethical practices to get ahead.

As a graduate student at Harvard Business School in 1992, Gunty’s classmates caught him tampering with votes to help elect himself president of a prestigious student-club.

In 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publicly accused SFCA, Inc., a company owned by Gunty’s private equity firm, of refusing to cooperate with a government recall of dangerous bassinets connected to the deaths of multiple infants.

An unrelated U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation in 2016 found Gunty responsible for misleading his private equity funds’ investors via conflicts of interest, self-dealing and unauthorized expenses. Gunty's company agreed to pay fines to settle the matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

What are you talking about that they haven’t made a bigger push in this area?. He owns one of the only two AAA organizations in this area and the only juniors program in the DMV. We left Teem Maryland after 4 years because we couldn’t deal with the scumbaggery anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least in the US. The Canadian system, while not perfect, isn't this corrupt.

What? Do a little research. The Canadian system of billeting players aged 16-20 for Juniors has been a major problem. Corrupt, maybe not in a financial sense. The amount of players that suffer both physical and sexual abuse is well documented. The amount of billeted players that develop alcohol and drug abuse issues is documented. The fact that these kids are essentially raised without their parents in very important formative years leads to things like recent Canadian 5 hockey players rape scandal.

No the Canadian system is far, far from perfect.

You act like these same problems don't exist in every US college sports league, from D1 to club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

What are you talking about that they haven’t made a bigger push in this area?. He owns one of the only two AAA organizations in this area and the only juniors program in the DMV. We left Teem Maryland after 4 years because we couldn’t deal with the scumbaggery anymore.

Right? And the article briefly mentions Rob Weiss, who as the "operator" of Rockville ice arena sets the price of what all the players in the nonprofit MYHA club pay for ice time there. The same nonprofit fraud model as the one the article describes happening with Team Maryland. We left MYHA when I realized that.

To other MYHA families: You deserve better. You really do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

What are you talking about that they haven’t made a bigger push in this area?. He owns one of the only two AAA organizations in this area and the only juniors program in the DMV. We left Teem Maryland after 4 years because we couldn’t deal with the scumbaggery anymore.

Right? And the article briefly mentions Rob Weiss, who as the "operator" of Rockville ice arena sets the price of what all the players in the nonprofit MYHA club pay for ice time there. The same nonprofit fraud model as the one the article describes happening with Team Maryland. We left MYHA when I realized that.

To other MYHA families: You deserve better. You really do.

Does Weiss or his company own an interest in the rink?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have to give USA Today a ton of credit. You don’t see investigative reporting like that anymore.

Look…it just makes me question even more why anyone signs their kid up to play hockey. The entire system all through these junior hockey teams appears so broken and stupid.

What's weird about juniors and fake pro hockey is some of my sons' best friends were sucked into this and now they are in their late 20s still making nothing on this pseudo pro circuit in random podunk towns. Meanwhile my sons, who graduated high school with these same kids, are working professionals with five plus years of experience, promotions, wages, and retirement savings.

It's as if these hockey boys don't know when to cut their losses and begin real life?

Breaking news: Jocks aren't very smart and aren't academically ambitious. Even the hockey kids who go to university, it's not like they're getting engineering, pre-med, or economics degrees. They're all in the easiest concentrations to goof off, play video games, and party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

What are you talking about that they haven’t made a bigger push in this area?. He owns one of the only two AAA organizations in this area and the only juniors program in the DMV. We left Teem Maryland after 4 years because we couldn’t deal with the scumbaggery anymore.

Right? And the article briefly mentions Rob Weiss, who as the "operator" of Rockville ice arena sets the price of what all the players in the nonprofit MYHA club pay for ice time there. The same nonprofit fraud model as the one the article describes happening with Team Maryland. We left MYHA when I realized that.

To other MYHA families: You deserve better. You really do.

Makes sense, Rockville is a dump, similar to the Black bear owned rink.

[Anonymous]

What a sleazeball! Surely someone here knows him and can tell us more!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

What are you talking about that they haven’t made a bigger push in this area?. He owns one of the only two AAA organizations in this area and the only juniors program in the DMV. We left Teem Maryland after 4 years because we couldn’t deal with the scumbaggery anymore.

Right? And the article briefly mentions Rob Weiss, who as the "operator" of Rockville ice arena sets the price of what all the players in the nonprofit MYHA club pay for ice time there. The same nonprofit fraud model as the one the article describes happening with Team Maryland. We left MYHA when I realized that.

To other MYHA families: You deserve better. You really do.

Does Weiss or his company own an interest in the rink?

I haven't been able to determine who's he actual owner. I've always seen Weiss referenced as the "operator". Meanwhile MYHA is, apparently, leasing it. The entry on the developer's web site says, "It was purchased in 2004 and immediately master leased to its largest ice licensee, Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA), on a long-term basis."
https://www.themavengroup.us/maryland
So of course Weiss would have a financial interest in the rink, as I presume he is not the "operator" doing this all for free out of the goodness of his heart. This assumption is backed up by how much other $$$ he earns from the self-described "volunteer-driven" organization.
The tax returns for the fiscal year ending 6/25 (publicly available at the link below) show that he received an $87k salary for ~25 hrs work per week. The club spent $2.1 million for "occupancy" --this would be ice time (players paid at total of $3m. in fees/dues--as per Sched. A/III/a. 2.--). "Land, buildings, and equipment" is listed as an asset worth $807k (page 11) and later in Schedule D, page 2 this is explained as representing "Leaseholder improvements."
Also, at the end (Schedule O), the form states on a note to Part VI, section A, line 3. "The organization has delegated control over management duties to Robert Weiss of PB Consulting, an independent contractor who serves as executive director of the organization." Presumably, since if he did these "management duties" voluntarily, as part of the $87k he's already paid by MYHA, this would not need to be disclosed in this manner. So he's getting an income from whatever is in the $13k of management costs and perhaps other minor things not itemized.
And in Part VI schedule B it states that the organization does not have a written conflict of interest policy. Meanwhile, the $246k MYHA devoted to "travel expenses" raises eyebrows (players pay for their own.)
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521035424/202620559349301957/full

In MYHA's 2022 990 (schedule L), it states that MYHA pays Weiss's consulting company (PB Consulting) $81K for "scheduling" and other services, and that this was approved by MYHA's board. They also paid the "Nothing but Net" coaching outfit--run by fellow board member Rob Keegan and employer of Weiss's son Mike, ~$68k. (keep in mind that players have the additional opportunity to sign up/pay for additional "Nothing but Net" clinics/classes at the rink. This $68k is the part that players can't avoid paying indirectly to Keegan and Weiss. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521035424/202321329349305022/full
This disclosure does not appear in the most recent public tax filing, though. Would Weiss be doing the scheduling for free? Maybe it's in the $193k of "other" expenses in 2024, and someone else does it--I highly suspect it's a crony of his.

One reason this kind of thing matters is that the $3m raised by MYHA from players doesn't get taxed. A good chunk of the $3 then goes to the pockets of Weiss and Keegan, which is illegal as the article explains (in reference to the Team Maryland example). Whereas if you run a regular business, charging people $ to participate in your activity and/or use your facilities, you'd pay tax.

[Anonymous]

PP here, *^The *MYHA* tax returns for the fiscal year ending 6/25.... etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/05/07/lord-of-the-rinks-black-bear-youth-hockey/89503875007/

We are lucky that that Black Bear hasn’t made a bigger push in this area. A lot of our organizations play in their leagues but St. James dropped this year.

What are you talking about that they haven’t made a bigger push in this area?. He owns one of the only two AAA organizations in this area and the only juniors program in the DMV. We left Teem Maryland after 4 years because we couldn’t deal with the scumbaggery anymore.

Right? And the article briefly mentions Rob Weiss, who as the "operator" of Rockville ice arena sets the price of what all the players in the nonprofit MYHA club pay for ice time there. The same nonprofit fraud model as the one the article describes happening with Team Maryland. We left MYHA when I realized that.

To other MYHA families: You deserve better. You really do.

Does Weiss or his company own an interest in the rink?

I haven't been able to determine who's he actual owner. I've always seen Weiss referenced as the "operator". Meanwhile MYHA is, apparently, leasing it. The entry on the developer's web site says, "It was purchased in 2004 and immediately master leased to its largest ice licensee, Montgomery Youth Hockey Association (MYHA), on a long-term basis."
https://www.themavengroup.us/maryland
So of course Weiss would have a financial interest in the rink, as I presume he is not the "operator" doing this all for free out of the goodness of his heart. This assumption is backed up by how much other $$$ he earns from the self-described "volunteer-driven" organization.
The tax returns for the fiscal year ending 6/25 (publicly available at the link below) show that he received an $87k salary for ~25 hrs work per week. The club spent $2.1 million for "occupancy" --this would be ice time (players paid at total of $3m. in fees/dues--as per Sched. A/III/a. 2.--). "Land, buildings, and equipment" is listed as an asset worth $807k (page 11) and later in Schedule D, page 2 this is explained as representing "Leaseholder improvements."
Also, at the end (Schedule O), the form states on a note to Part VI, section A, line 3. "The organization has delegated control over management duties to Robert Weiss of PB Consulting, an independent contractor who serves as executive director of the organization." Presumably, since if he did these "management duties" voluntarily, as part of the $87k he's already paid by MYHA, this would not need to be disclosed in this manner. So he's getting an income from whatever is in the $13k of management costs and perhaps other minor things not itemized.
And in Part VI schedule B it states that the organization does not have a written conflict of interest policy. Meanwhile, the $246k MYHA devoted to "travel expenses" raises eyebrows (players pay for their own.)
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521035424/202620559349301957/full

In MYHA's 2022 990 (schedule L), it states that MYHA pays Weiss's consulting company (PB Consulting) $81K for "scheduling" and other services, and that this was approved by MYHA's board. They also paid the "Nothing but Net" coaching outfit--run by fellow board member Rob Keegan and employer of Weiss's son Mike, ~$68k. (keep in mind that players have the additional opportunity to sign up/pay for additional "Nothing but Net" clinics/classes at the rink. This $68k is the part that players can't avoid paying indirectly to Keegan and Weiss. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521035424/202321329349305022/full
This disclosure does not appear in the most recent public tax filing, though. Would Weiss be doing the scheduling for free? Maybe it's in the $193k of "other" expenses in 2024, and someone else does it--I highly suspect it's a crony of his.

One reason this kind of thing matters is that the $3m raised by MYHA from players doesn't get taxed. A good chunk of the $3 then goes to the pockets of Weiss and Keegan, which is illegal as the article explains (in reference to the Team Maryland example). Whereas if you run a regular business, charging people $ to participate in your activity and/or use your facilities, you'd pay tax.

Interesting! One other thing about MYHA is that the main clinics are run by the Keegan NBN business, which seems like a conflict of interest since he is the director of MYHA and has influence over team selections. This is especially true for the younger ages, as he coaches the 10AA team that is the primary feeder to TM, so his clinics are packed by younger kids trying to get in his radar. Other rinks I’m familiar with have clinics that are run by the organization or a private group not associated with the team.