My Old Hockey Rink I was born in St. Albert and have grown up in this community my entire life. The twin arenas is where I was introduced to ice skating. Starting at the age of five I have been involved in ice skating lessons, ringette and hockey. I remember spending countless hours in these hockey rinks. The moment I enter the rink I get a feeling of comfort and a sense of being at home. Walking in those familiar doors was the most terrific part of my day, no matter if it was a bright and early 6am practice or a late into the evening game. As soon as I entered the rink my favorite scent was all around me. It was the kind of perfect smell you cannot put into exact words, but it was a mix of something like ice, rubber and the sweaty socks of kids full of determination. The atmosphere was always the same there, full of excitement and anticipation. Growing up the rink was my happy place, I could always depend on it to be freezing cold, just the way I like it. Skating on the ice was an entirely different world. The boards were bright and clean, the benches were so huge I could barely see over them! The ice …show more content…
Those huge boards now seem tiny and are all scuffed up and coated in dark black puck marks. The glass surrounding the rinks is covered in scratches and not nearly as clear as it once was. The same irreplaceable smell remains but now with a hint of old hockey rink, the history in this place is so strong you can practically smell it. The two lonely rinks on the outskirts of town, previously known as the twin arenas, is now the main recreation building in St. Albert, Service Center. What was once a building housing two small arenas is now still that but has been expanded to also hold a swimming pool, meeting rooms, soccer fields and a newer, brighter, bigger arena. I am no longer the beginner I used to be. Instead of looking up to the older players in admiration, I am now the one being looked up
As stated in my thesis statement, the sport of hockey has been forced to compete with the growing mass popularity with other sports such as basketball and football. There once was a point in time where hockey had just as much popularity as those sports but because people are finding more interest in those sports, the National Hockey League found itself in a “drought” of unimportance with other sports. With not televising the sport as “commonly” as other sports.
The multi-purpose arena that I have chosen to evaluate is Boston University’s Agganis Arena. This arena is considered to be the next generation of Boston sports and entertainment by incorporating the latest multimedia technologies and providing the finest possible sight lines and views of the action. The arena is located within Boston University's new $225 million John Hancock Student Village, a 10-acre hub of activity designed to be the thriving center of student life and athletics, Agganis Arena is a state-of-the-art, multipurpose sports and entertainment center scheduled to open in January 2005. A 290,000-square-foot premier venue with 6,300 seats for hockey and ice shows, the Arena is expandable to over 7,200 seats for concerts, sporting events, and family shows.
Themes, 603-103-MQ, Text Collection. Quebec. Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport. Montréal: Cégep@distance, 2011. 56-59. Print.
The most memorable moment in hockey history came thirty-four years ago with the 1980 Miracle on Ice. The Americans defeating the dominant Soviet team at the Olympics was not only an important triumph for USA Hockey, but for the entire nation. Contrary to popular belief, the underdog win was not only the result of a miracle; it was also the result of a hard-working team led by Coach Herb Brooks. With increasingly negative views on the position of the United States in the Cold War, the Miracle on Ice and the gold medal win lifted the spirits of the nation and brought hockey into the American spotlight.
But, the most meaningful way I have connected myself to Russian culture is through ice hockey. I have played hockey throughout my entire life and many of my favorite players are Russian. I realized this connection when my teammates and I were watching the movie Miracle at a hockey tournament in Lake Placid, not in 1980 though. In the movie, it showed the Soviets having the best ice hockey program in the world at the time, while the young U.S. ice hockey program was developing. Throughout the entire movie, I was cheering for the Soviet Union because it was my homeland. But what I didn’t know at the time was that I was the only one in the room who had not seen the movie. During the first game that the U.S. played, the Soviets crucified the U.S. 10-3. … And then came the Olympics
Morrow, D., Keyes, M., Simpson,W., Cosentino, F., & Lappage, R. (1989). A Concise History of Sport In Canada. Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.
Winters in the village of Ste. Justine were long. That time on school, church, and the hockey rink, and every boy’s hero was Montreal Canadians hockey legend Maurice Richard. Everyone wore Richard’s number 9 to honor him. They laced their skates like Richard. They even wore their hair like Richard.
The defining moment of the importance of hockey in Canada was “The Goal of the Century” in 1972. It was the evening of September 28th; the site was Moscow – U.S.S.R. In the midst of the Cold War, a game-winning goal by Canadian hockey player Paul Henderson at the end of the third period with only 34 seconds left on the clock vaulted Canada to a victory at the Summit Series and put them on top of the hockey world. The heart and character of Canadian hockey internationally began. “The exact moment of that spectacular goal has become a reference point in our national collective consciousness.”- R. Eagleson (Foreword). It was the climatic goal watched by almost every Canadian, and their pride swelled to amazing heights. Hockey is more than just a game in Canada, it is a celebrated history. Hockey is Canada’s identity. “Hockey captures the essence of Canadian experience in the New World. In a land so inescapably and inho...
Canadian hockey is an important component to Canadian identity and way of life and if hockey had a less prominent place in Canadian society, this would change Canadians in many ways. Hockey impacts Canadians at all levels including youth hockey, minor hockey and professional hockey in the NHL. As hockey is one of Canada’s national sports, it demonstrates how valued the sport is in Canada. Hockey to Canadians is not just a sport, but is also a means of community and unity. It is also one of the most widespread sports across Canada and influences Canadians directly through individual or family participation or indirectly by cheering for local or professional NHL teams or by watching Olympic hockey.
As more of my teammates began to show up, I recognized most of them. However, I learned later that if I went on to play in the Spring, this would not be the same exact team I would play with. With only twenty minutes until we began,I put on all of my gear and my dad gave me a thorough warm up. Time seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, everyone was gathered together as positions were being assigned. I was originally overwhelmed with excitement, but as the game drew closer, the joy I had felt was replaced with anxiety. The lacrosse game taking place before ours ended and we entered and took our place on our bench. I recognized the opposing team’s jerseys quickly and identified them as a travel team from our area. Taking one final breath, I rushed into the lacrosse net enjoying my bird’s eye view, unsure of what was to
Canadiens Hockey Club has a positive impact on the city of Montreal as a whole.
This research will jump forward in time to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Starting from youth hockey where the interest in the sport is developed, was a great way to see why there has been an increase in the popularity of the sport across the nation, especially in regions not normally known as hockey areas. According to USA Hockey and the NHL, youth hockey has been on the rise for the last decade in almost every state. This research is aimed at finding out where and why this increase is happening.
William Faulkner brings all aspects of the game to life by going beyond the game itself, and immersing the readers into the intricate details that are often overlooked by most spectators. While spectators and televised sports commentators focus on the literal game itself, the points and teams, Faulkner describes the “kaleidoscopic whirl” of motion, the grace of the players and the designs they carve into the ice. He goes beyond the typical description of skates and hockey sticks, depicting them as “knife blades of skates” and “deft sticks which could break bones.” Faulkner, through this fluid and detail oriented writing, portrays the game of hockey in a way most people fail to see.
...slapshot from the point. Two minutes later the puck broke loose from one of the other team's defensman and landed on our most talented player’s stick. He is not only as fast as lightning but can also stick handle around any NHL team blindfolded. He made a quick move to the left, and then to the right. He took the shot which went top shelf on the right side. The second I saw the net move I knew we had done it. The underdog team defeated the 1st ranked team in the state championship game for Missouri high school hockey. An uproar from the mob of people could have been heard from two miles away. I couldn’t believe we had done it. We beat the odds, and took the cup. I felt shivers travel down my bruised and cut body. The hard work did pay off, for we had done it. The tears were flowing like the water dropping from the Niagara Falls. We were State Champions.
As I entered the building which housed the rink, the warm, nostalgic scent of popcorn hit that part of my brain where dusty, cobwebbed memories live, memories of my own adolescence. I made my way past a group of exuberant teenagers at the snack bar until I reached the skating rink. Skinny, hard benches, made for small butts, lined one wall. I took a seat and scanned the rink. My eyes paused to read a sign; white, block letters on a black background warned, "Skate at Your Own Risk."