Opportunities To Skate
As we head into golf season for many, the ice time will continue for myself and others who thrive on this great sport. Here are the opportunities to skate for “old” players. You young guys need to check the rink website.
Monday night 50+ Summer League registration is open. It is a more relaxed atmosphere, and leaving the rink on a summer night is kinda special. For those 50 and over, this is a great way to keep on the ice and not miss any weekend outdoor activities. Use the Sports Engine link to register.
Wednesday afternoons are special for us old timers over 60. We are working to get enough skaters and goalies to continue our new 60+ league through the summer. We are about 3/4 of the way there. If you’re over 60 and can spare a Wednesday afternoon, this is a blast. For those of us who like to gather in Skaters Bar to share stories and a pint or two, the 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm games allow us time in the bar, and we still get home before 10 pm! Register for the 60+ league with this Sports Engine link. Should we not get enough for four teams, we will have a drop in skate.
Then on Friday there is the 50+ (mostly) drop in skate at around 11 am. The time may change occasionally. You can find it listed on the schedule for Crystal Fieldhouse.
Want to run a sheet of ice but don’t want the hassle of texting, calling and taking notes? Over the last ten years I developed a system to make it easy to build your own list and run a skate. The small fees for the automated texting is well worth the time savings. Plus, it is super easy to manage those skaters with special needs:) You can register and manage the ice time in the app for those who have zero tech skills. Most guys manage the app with ease. Learn about it at www.PerfectSkate.com
League Updates & Champions
Sorry, I’m out of the loop on the 18+ and 35+ leagues. Congrats to the champs there. Let’s talk about the three leagues I’m associated with.
50+ Monday Oldtimers
Last season, it was Gears Beer Hockey who earned the championship. For those who don’t know, it is a draft league, and we work hard to balance the teams. Team Gears Beer had a dominating season, but it came down to a shootout win by none other than Jamie Galant! Big fun. The team pic is coming down from the league page soon, as this season was fun but not as successful.
My buddy, Scott, was a bridesmaid once again this season as his team, Fastenal, lost to Phantom in the playoffs for the 2026 50+ Oldtimers Championship. Phantom, run by Chris Burkland, had a dominating season and found success in the playoffs despite being down to nine skaters. Congratulations to team Phantom!
60+ Wednesday Oldtimers
What a great group of guys. Great for the spectators too, as the puck moves slowly 🙂
Actually, it is better hockey than I expected and my most fun league. The Champion for this season is Saber Electric. Bruce Fredline is a force of nature in that league, along with Mike Gorney.
Eclectic Hockey League
Sunday mornings were a lot easier for me this season, but I do miss the competition. The EHL was created in 2015 by myself and Bobby and Beth Kurtz due to our frustration with Polar at the time. Over the years there has always been a team that struggles and team that dominates. The last few years that dominating team was organized by Jeff Rouse, Solid Ground. Jeff came to our league from the 40A league and brought a solid bench. My Budtenders began brining more players in from the 40A league, mostly from Kearsley and they have been competitive, but not winning up until this season. A controversial move was to bring in a young goalie, Ryan Rogers. To counter that move, Rouse brought in Howard who played at a high level. The teams are used to competing against each other and this last weekend in the finals Budtenders pulled out a win against Solid Ground. The final Championship game is not scheduled yet, but I look forward to being there. I have friends on both teams and my hope is that it stays friendly! This is going to be a barn burner!!
