Monumental Donation to Ohio Hockey Shows Optimistic Future

ATHENS – An ACHA program, mostly, relies on donations to help keep their powerhouse running. On February 10th, Ohio University Hockey received just that.

That day, Ohio University Hockey hosted an event to celebrate the donation of $40,000 to the program. Money like that can help provide uniforms, equipment, cover travel expenses and do so much more for the program that requires assistance.

But this donation was not just out of the kindness of anyone’s hearts, it had a much bigger story to it.

In the 1960s a man named Robbie Reasons got his first feel for Ohio University Hockey. Although, he was not on the ice. He sat between the penalty boxes, back when there was no dividing wall.

His presence was not a dominating one as he was a shorter and skinnier man that separated much larger players during intense games.

Ken Gamble spent 24 minutes in the penalty box in one game. That was his first encounter with Reasons. There he was when Robbie asked Gamble if he knew how to play cribbage, and that if he did not, he could teach him how.

Gamble was quick to mention that he didn’t spend any more time in the box the rest of the weekend.

But Robbie’s history with the team was more than sitting in the box and teaching hockey players how to play board games.

His passion for the Bobcat’s grew over time. Soon he was putting thick clumps of ointment on their wounds from games telling players how it would work. Tom Gosiorowski said, “We didn’t know if it worked, but we believed it because it was Robbie!”

Gosiorowski also mentioned his ability to fix anything with ease describing his duties as, “taping ankles and putting magic potions on us.” Reasons had nothing but the best intentions in place for the team.

During his time at Ohio University, players really got to know Reasons better and figured out his positive outlook on life. L’Heureux and Reasons’ friend, Tom Belton, said, “Those of his friends who knew Rob had some very serious heartbreaking reversals in his life, but it never phased him publicly – he was a tower of strength and happiness, and always up for anything, his face to the world was always upbeat.”

That was an insight to mentality that never had anyone down in then dumps. The players knew that at work he would always attack any issue at any time and solve it on top of that.

When he would arrive at work, anyone at Bird Arena could ask “How are you today?” To that, Robbie would reply, “this is the best day of my life.”

That was his response every day.

Robbie was married to Debbie, the two met at a banjo convention and both bonded about why they had been there in the first place.

In a tragic and unexpected event, Debbie passed away in 2019 and Robbie moved in with Debbie’s son, David.

After Reasons passed away, he left behind a legacy of memories, stories and eternal friendship to the likenesses of Gosiorowski, Mike L’Heureux, and Gamble. But he also left behind his love for the organization and the game itself.

His love for Ohio Hockey consisted of $40,000. All that money going to create a bigger and better program full of opportunities and experiences that all go towards memories of a lifetime.

“It’s really just humbling, who am I here speaking on behalf of them, but it meant a lot to them to be there giving this gift for them,” David Schwarm, Debbie’s son, said.

He and Debbie both left behind $20,000 to David to give to the hockey team as a gesture of gratitude and a surge forward in the program’s ability to provide unique and memorable experiences.

“They really thought the world of this place,” David said. The love for Ohio University from Reasons and Debbie has translated into something that the hockey team can have in their lives forever as this is something that can provide some of the best opportunities at Ohio.

“Hockey provides so many things and it is the highlight of many people’s lives and careers,” head coach Cole Bell said. “And for him to have that experience at Ohio makes me very happy that he was able to have that experience here and that he cared so much about the program that he wanted to make an impact on the players' lives.”

This donation is something that will continue to provide the best experiences for current players and attract future Bobcats to the program. All creating a bigger dynasty and a broader alumni network.

“We have lots of success, lots of stories, lots of character that have come through here and to be a part of it is something much bigger than yourself,” head coach Cole Bell said.

Gosiorowski said that when he got to Ohio University and had the opportunity to become an athletic trainer and was assigned to the hockey team by the head coach, John McComb, and the head trainer, John Hart, that is when he found his passion.

“He would listen very carefully and understand what John McComb and Hart would tell him to do, then he’d go and add on more to it,” Gosiorowski said.

A carefully detail-oriented person such as Reasons held things near and dear to him and that is precisely why he wanted to leave behind this legacy and do something extraordinary for the team that took him in nearly 60 years ago.

“I would just like to say thank you and buy him a beer and sit down and get to know him a little bit,” Bell said, “Because what he has done has been some amazing things.”

The team and staff at Ohio University Hockey thank Robbie Reasons, Debbie, and David Schwarm for their donations to keep the program running strong.