Between carving the first pumpkin in October and toasting the New Year on January 1st, the season is packed with joyful traditions and family fun! Once the holidays end, though, what’s left to bring us through the rest of the cold winter? If you can’t beat the cold, embrace it and create new memories!
At Dundee Bank, we have a treasured tradition that takes place after the holiday season ends. Every January, we proudly host the Dundee Neighborhood Ice Rink!
Located at Underwood and Happy Hollow, our rink is the perfect way to celebrate the season with a hockey game or a family skate. We provide the nets, Mother Natures supplies the right temperatures, and you provide your family with a fun afternoon on the ice.
The rink is open to skaters of all ages, and in true Dundee style, your fellow skaters will be thoughtful of your skill level. Bundle up, lace up, and show up! We have everything else covered!
While many families enjoy our beautiful location in the Sunks for a fun skate around the rink, others take advantage of the cold to challenge friends and family to a friendly game of hockey!
Want to get in the game, but you’re not sure how? We’ve put together some hockey basics for beginners. (Just because we put the nets up doesn’t mean we knew how to use them right away – But we’re getting there.)
No elbowing, fighting, hooking (grabbing another player with your stick) or tripping other players. Even in professional games where rowdiness is allowed, if not encouraged, there are regulations. On our family-friendly rink, let’s just skip the fisticuffs and keep it fun.
Know Your Positions!
There are usually six players per team, one goalie and five skaters.
- Goalie: The gatekeeper, the tender of the goal, the person responsible for stopping the other team from scoring. Be sure to get this member of your team a warm cup of cocoa after the game. They’ve earned it!
- Defensemen: A regulation team (which you are not required to have to grab some friends and shoot pucks at our Dundee rink) has two defensemen. One tends to work offensively and handle the puck, while the second will be more defense-minded and prefers to stay back and protect the team and their zone.
- Right wing: Guards the opposition’s Left Wing, manages the right side of the field of play. This is a long stretch, so choose your most athletic player for this position!
- Left wing: If you have any south-paws on your team, this would be a strong place to utilize them! While being right handed will not interfere with your ability to play left wing, a left-handed member would have an advantage when it comes time to shoot for the goal.
- Center: Your hockey-equivalent to a quarterback, the center follows the puck no matter where it goes. This position should be your best shot, and have excellent passing skills.
When receiving a pass: A common mistake when playing hockey is to swing or bat at the puck when stopping, blocking, or receiving a pass. Instead, try cradling the pass, drawing your stick back gently as the puck approaches. This will prevent the puck from simply ricocheting off of your stick, and will gain you better control
Thank you for letting Dundee Bank be on your team this snowy season, and all year round!
