Born in Kansas into a military family, Bob was raised on the west coast. He spent time in San Francisco, Washington State, and San Diego before settling in Seattle area for high school, when he started hanging out at the local ice rink. Bob was there three to four nights a week, eventually landing a job behind the skate rental desk. Although he skated all the time, Bob never played hockey. He did get to see several national teams play at the rink, including the 1980 Soviet team, but there was no league for adult beginners.

Bob left the rink and skating to attend college. After graduation, he moved to New York where he works in the financial services industry. An avid sports fan, Bob loves the New York Rangers, Yankees, Knicks and Giants. He joined the New York's gay softball league, the Big Apple Softball League in 1997 and, always itching to try hockey, Bob joined the NYCGHA at the New York City Sports Ball in the summer of 2000. After several practices he started playing for the Ugly Americans in the developmental league that Fall.