The Dorchester Youth Hockey (DYH) Mites and skaters on the UMass Boston men’s hockey team made connections last week as coaches and members of the UMB squad ran clinics during two practices at the Devine Rink in Neponset.

UMass Boston’s head coach, Peter Belisle, brought players Sal Carabelli, Jacob Banks, Chris Repman, and Owen Bourdow along on Jan. 2 for a regular practice of the Mites team, and a girls’ program practice as well.

UMass Head Coach Pete Belisle and several players from the men’s hockey team joined Dorchester Youth Hockey Mites at practice last Tuesday for a skills clinic. From left, Sal Carabelli, Jacob Banks, Belisle, Chris Repman, and Owen Bourdow.

The Beacon players ran a skills clinic for both teams and got rave reviews from the youngsters.

“The kids really seem to be excited to have these college players and coach on the ice with them,” said DYH board member Peter O’Sullivan. “It’s also great for the kids to know that there’s a top college hockey program within a mile of the Devine Rink. When I got there, the kids were all smiles, and I had a great conversation with the coach and the players saying they had a lot of fun spending time with the DYH kids.”

Mites coach Robert Picariello and co-coach Liam O’Donnell, who helped to set up the evening with the players, noted that the kids “were focused and listening to everything coach Belisle and the college players were coaching them on,” said Picariello. “They all had a great time and look forward to visiting UMass Boston to catch a hockey game in the near future.”

O’Donnell’s father Bill is a lifelong Dorchester resident who carries a long-time connection to the UMass Boston hockey program. His father, Bill O’Donnell, Sr., founded the Neponset Youth Hockey (now DYH) in 1968 and was the president for 13 years. Bill Jr. is a BC High graduate who went on to be a founding player of the UMass Boston men’s hockey team, on which he was active from 1978 to 1981

During that time, the Beacons won the ECAC Division 3 championship in 1982 with a team of players mostly from the city, including Dorchester, Hyde Park, East Boston, South Boston, and Jamaica Plain.