Do you hate your rink?

[Race4LastPlace 31]

I hate my rink. If i could move somewhere else i would. Another game cancelled tonight, the rink is now a pool (again). The ice melted and this was yet another reason for me to hate hockey here in Louisville, KY. Aparently if your not on the youth travel team, your not important. The rink management has cancelled my games because they accidently scheduled youth games instead, they didnt have someone to zam the ice,and now the ice was melted. This is on top of not giving us locker rooms or showers to use, and lately they will cut our games 15-20 minutes short because they want to zam the ice for free skate. We've had so many arguments with management they finally told our league representative to "F*** OFF"

Sorry for the rant but im really tired of this place

[Rustpot 1]

Have the league take legal action for the money you paid for facilities. If there is some record of your league rep being told to "fuck off" it should be in and out of court in a day.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

well the rink is in hole, so they wont refund us anything, they'll just offer us an hour on like a weeknight of sunday afternoon when some people cant make it. From what ive heard this rink is owned by people who live in michigan, and couldnt care less about this rink. its the only year round rink within 2 hours, and it treats everyone like crap, and doesnt bother to carry any adult gear in the "pro shop".

[oliverloran 0]

What a pile of morons, i mean they really use they monopoly.

I've had a recent issue with the rink, like we were playing a friendly game and my dad was going along the boards and he's stick stuck where the zamboni comes out, but the funny was that not the blade but the shaft went in too, so as he was doing with speed it snapped his stick. Whats the deal when this happens there in US or Canada?

[P5man 0]

well the rink is in hole, so they wont refund us anything, they'll just offer us an hour on like a weeknight of sunday afternoon when some people cant make it. From what ive heard this rink is owned by people who live in michigan, and couldnt care less about this rink. its the only year round rink within 2 hours, and it treats everyone like crap, and doesnt bother to carry any adult gear in the "pro shop".

take them to court anyway. even if you think they are in the hole, they would still be responsible to follow any judgment that the court finds. courts don't care if the business is going downhill, if money is owed it will be payed

[kilner 0]

For roller, my two 'local' rinks are about 45 mins - an hour away. One of them is small, shockin surface and just plain shit. The other rinks an old ice rink that been converted to a roller rink, excellent floor and size.

As for ice, i dont play anymore but the rink and facilities are second to none, however the people that run it and the ice hockey teams there are plain knob heads

[NYR1982 0]

When I played high school we practiced at this ice rink that was an absolute rat hole. It was old and had crappy ice and crappy locker rooms. We had to climb a huge flight of stairs to get from the locker rooms to the ice which absolutely SUCKED after a hard practice where you can't feel your legs afterwards. I took a few spills down those stairs. Thank God I had all my gear on.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

Well after talking about it with some teammates it looks like the rink is going to give us an additional hour next week (so i'll have a doubleheader). I honestly think any legal action might cost me my ability to play hockey there. They are a very spiteful bunch, and they know that they are the only rink that offers beer league around (the only other rink is only open for like 5 months in the year and doesnt really offer any leagues) so they think they can afford to treat us like crap. A couple weeks ago at a game we found the one locker room that was unlocked (or not full of little kids, our assigned room was locked and no one was avaliable to open it), after the game we fund that management had thrown all our stuff in the hallway, some little stuff was missing (no wallets or cell phones, we put all that in a bag and keep it on the bench) but a guys wedding ring was gone and stuff was mixed up.

[Aussie Joe 0]

We only have one rink here, its 70 yrs old and looks it! The ice is left used and snow covered over night, leaving it with holes and cut outs marks all over the place. The boards are wonky, theres no perspex, just netting and the worst bit is the "Zamboni corner" where there is some ice missing. It creates a nasty hole for the puck to fall into.

All that being said, my best mate at hockey has been friends with the rink managers for years. They treat him like a son and therefore our coveted "Friday nights scrimmage" is never messed with.

[figgifumi_11 3]

Ohhhhh it's not that bad Honestly though, that place has sucked since it opened in the mid 90's. I have never seen a rink (or any business for that matter) run on such a shoestring budget. It is always an adventure to play there; you are either trying to avoid the speedbumps on the ice or hoping your pass doesn't go through one of the many spots where the dasher board is missing.

There is always the option of trying to get a league together over at Alpine in the fall/winter. We used to have league games there on Thursday nights, but I don't think they are doing that anymore. If we can gather enough interest I can check with the owner over there about getting an adult league set up (I worked there as a kid). Which league/team are you playing on now?

[Race4LastPlace 31]

yeah, figgi you know my pain. Did you get to play today? (you still play C+ right?) We actually found out about it by accident, but they told us all to show up anyway, and when we got there they cancelled it.

yeah im playing on the "saturday night fever" league. I think some of us looked into getting a never ever type league at alpine but it fell through. I did play some pickup there, they were always nice. Im just getting tired of Iceland crapping on us. Don Rogers got into it pretty heatedly with one of the guys there about a month (the other Don i think). about the locker rooms.

[ashtonhutch05 0]

Iceland and Alpine are both quite shitty. Thank god our new arena is being built in here in Owensboro so we'll have here and Swonder that are decent.

[figgifumi_11 3]

I'm actually not playing right now due to a fractured ankle. I've been doing the physical therapy thing, but it only seems to be aggrevating the injury so I have a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon on the 18th who specializes in ankle injuries. I have been playing C+ but may drop down to C for a season or two since I will have been off the ice for a long time and therefore out of shape.

You hit the nail on the head with Iceland only catering to the youth leagues, but I suppose they generate more revenue than we do. Maybe we can vneture down to Owensboro and skate with Ashton since they have a fancy new arena ;)

[Chadd 916]

I can't complain about our local rink. I called and asked for some free ice time to test some new swag and they hooked me up big time.

[Ultimus 0]

For all those that are complaining, just remember it could be worse. You could have to drive 2-3 hours away just to go for an ice skate.

When I lived up north their was a rink, but only one. We had five high schools in the area and one team.... granted their was something like A, B, C teams etc. But if you wanted to play you would have had to had gone up through the system. So for an outsider you had to be really good just to have a shot. I was basically told not to bother, their was local kids that had been waiting for their "shot" that had played the whole time and couldn't get on the team.

I am glad the lake would freeze over. But I would have loved to play through high school other than pickups and roller.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

I'm actually not playing right now due to a fractured ankle. I've been doing the physical therapy thing, but it only seems to be aggrevating the injury so I have a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon on the 18th who specializes in ankle injuries. I have been playing C+ but may drop down to C for a season or two since I will have been off the ice for a long time and therefore out of shape.

You hit the nail on the head with Iceland only catering to the youth leagues, but I suppose they generate more revenue than we do. Maybe we can vneture down to Owensboro and skate with Ashton since they have a fancy new arena ;)

ahhh, yes. did you hurt it there? I was dodging a 'check' last year, hit a speedbump and went feet first into the boards breaking the ankle and partially tearing my achilles. But I think i might jump up to C later this year, but not sure yet. But a lil trip to the 'boro doesnt sound bad :D

[eric42434224 1]

I play at IncredibleIce in Coral Springs, FL. I must admit it is a top notch facility, and is staffed by a great group of people. It is run and owned by the Florida Panthers, and that is where they train and practice. Always clean, great locker rooms and bar, best ice in the area, fully stocked pro-shop, and very well run adult leagues. And they are adding on a 50,000 sq/ft addition and they will soon have 3 rinks. Absolutely love it there....10 minutes from my house. Sorry to hear about the horror stories of other rinks. The other rinks in the area are not nearly as nice as my rink.

[Race4LastPlace 31]

I can't complain about our local rink. I called and asked for some free ice time to test some new swag and they hooked me up big time.

Dang thats nice chadd. The last time i asked to buy tape they told me to come back when the shop is open. I havent seen the shop open in 6 months...

[ashtonhutch05 0]

Well you guys will have to wait until it is built, but are more than welcome to join :)

Hopefully our weak ass "mens league" evolves into an actual league instead of old people playing pickup which is where it's at right now. Still one sheet of ice though WTF?

[figgifumi_11 3]

I got hit by a puck back in December during a playoff game. It is a strange injury in that it didn't hurt at first and the only indication that it was injured was some redness and minor swelling. I saw my PCP about it a few weeks after it happened and she felt that since it didn't hurt to walk on it an x-ray wasn't necessary. I continued playing on it all winter/spring and the pain and swelling intensified to the point I couldn't skate on it. A subsequent x-ray (at a different doctor's ofice) revealed a large ascending fracture of the medial malleolus as well as some bone fragments floating around in the arch and as the cherry on top, bursitis surrounding the whole damned thing.

I completely agree that things could be worse. For many years there was only one rink here, and as Race mentioned they are only open 5 months out of the year. Ice time was even more difficult to come by then as they only have one rink to handle the figure skaters, youth leagues, public sessions and the semi-pro team who practiced there when their rink was being used for tractor pulls, livestock shows and other "important" events (I am so glad I am not originally from here). Oh and Chadd, I am definitely envious! :D

[DavidT 11]

I dont have major issues with any of our rinks.

The roller rink needs a new floor and better overall facilities, but they are lucky to be breaking even at the end of the month. If they need to cancel our games for a tourney, so be it. It may mean they stay around longer.

Ice rinks cant complain, I like the facities and overall strycture of everything.

[Chadd 916]

I can't complain about our local rink. I called and asked for some free ice time to test some new swag and they hooked me up big time.

Dang thats nice chadd. The last time i asked to buy tape they told me to come back when the shop is open. I havent seen the shop open in 6 months...

They know what I do here and I don't abuse their kindness. I also hear they were letting a kid get some ice in the downtimes to help him rehab his knee.

[mattzilla 0]

My rink is run by a former pro roller hockey player who is now married to a former female NHL netminder.... The guy makes it difficult for anything he deems 'competition' to his league to rent floor time. It's been double booked a handful of times. After making arrangements prior ( when renting large blocks of time the same night for 3 months ) he will tell us when we show up that it needs to be paid all NOW or we're not going on. ( when there is 20+ people waiting and a payment plan had already been prearranged ) He comes up with phantom payments for other activities that go on... pretty much he'll do anything to squeeze money out of people. Even though he charges pretty high amounts for a 'dry' floor, its never maintained properly, its always super dusty, the change rooms are, at times, disgusting ( not from litter just from lack of regular cleaning )

But, its the only high level league around... what can ya do? the guy who runs the league now ( brad ) is good shit, and it seems like he genuinely cares. but the other guy still runs the arena and still has some say in the league too

[Balmer15 0]

The only problems I have with my rink is that, it is 2 hours away, and, the practices for u16's and u20's are 9.00am-12.30pm on Sunday mornings. I play both so I have to get up at around 6.00am to get there, and it's a whole day taken up for the practices really. The facilities are good, but the shop isn't great. I usually use the shop 1 hour away.(there is a rink 1 hour away but my friends from inline play in Dundalk)

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

The only negative thing I have to say about my rink is that the ice is down at the moment, but it happens for a little bit each year. I guess it's a pretty warm rink too, but the ice is good.