Forming Friendships Across the Bumpers
By Maddie Campbell
Palm Beach Ice Works found itself in a tricky situation with booming hockey and figure skating programs, but only one ice surface to accommodate them.
The skating facility in west Palm Beach, Florida is a state-of-the-art space with an Olympic ice surface and two thriving skating programs. Serving ages six through adults and everyone in between, Palm Beach Ice Works is a bustling facility.
They offer services from world and Olympic-level coaches, and integrative programs such as Learn to Skate, and the recently initiated Buddy Program which pairs younger and older skaters together in a big brother- big sister approach to skating. Their website states that the program aims to “Promote friendship, support social needs, and foster a greater sense of belonging.” They hope it will generate bonds between younger skaters, their club and skating as a whole.
However, Ice Works staff had a pressing issue at hand; two busy programs and a singular ice surface for each to learn in. Boasting an Olympic-sized ice surface, the decision was made to institute bumpers to section off the ice and have each sport practice at the same time. Skating Director, Martine De La Torre clarified that though it isn’t ideal, there is still plenty of room for everyone when the ice is sectioned off.
“We have an Olympic-size sheet, which makes it a little bit easier because it’s so much bigger,” De La Torre said. “It’s still the same as an NHL-sized rink…don’t give me that there’s not enough room, because there is. Everybody has to acclimate; we have one sheet of ice, and the ice is always great, and we just try to keep everybody happy.”
De La Torre disclosed that if given an opportunity to have two surfaces they would certainly take it, yet she doesn’t foresee it happening anytime soon. Their current facility is high-end, with features like granite countertops in the locker rooms, so financing another facility of the same caliber simply doesn’t fit their budget at this time.
Though there are some days when each sport has a chance to get the surface to itself, often they share. De La Torre explained that though it isn’t an ideal situation, they have made the most of it by employing extraordinary communication and understanding of the other. “The coaches are very good, they talk to the hockey coaches and the hockey coaches talk to the figure skating coaches and we all get along. When there’s a time that something different needs to be done, we discuss it, and it gets done.”
During times when there are events or testing, both sides are very accommodating to let the other have their space. Occasionally they’ll even negotiate who gets to play their music during ice sessions. The maturity of those involved is commendable and makes for an exceptionally cohesive environment.
This setup has created a mutually beneficial relationship between hockey and figure skating, and many young athletes have developed an interest in the other sport through their shared ice time.
“I had one little boy who I introduced to one of the hockey coaches during a lesson because every time I was teaching him, he would be looking over, and he wanted to go over there, so we scheduled a lesson and he’s a hockey player now and loves it… I have a few little girls also that went from figure skating to hockey because of the visibility,” De La Torre said.
When the athletes are habitually exposed to this shared environment it seems they have also forged some friendships with athletes across the bumpers. “Everybody gets along, and there are friendships. All the hockey guys will talk to the coaches and the figure skaters in the morning and ask if they can play their music…it’s a really nice environment. Everybody gets along and everybody knows everybody.” De La Torre said.
John Bierkan, a golf professional who has been taking private hockey lessons at Ice Works for over five years, says that the shared ice is no hindrance at all. “It’s just that everyone has that same passion of just getting on the ice and enjoying the aspects of skating, and I think it comes from the coaches.”
He adds that he has become good friends with many of the coaches and skaters, just through being at the rink so often. He credits things working so well to the member’s attitudes of mutual respect, and emphasized how well everyone works together.
This cutting-edge approach to what may have been thought of as an inadequate circumstance has created an environment for friendships where both sports thrive. For some children, it’s only a matter of being exposed to a sport to spark an interest that will last a lifetime.
