By Aaron Heller //
Hood College’s new ice hockey program hit a major setback just a couple of weeks before the season started when its home rink closed suddenly.
Skate Frederick, located at 1288 Riverbend Way in Frederick, was supposed to be the team’s home rink. But just days before the start of the season, the rink closed indefinitely because of mechanical issues.
After the closure, Hood College frantically searched for a new temporary home for the Blazers.
Hagerstown Ice and Sports Complex and Rockville Ice Arena have taken in the Blazers for the foreseeable future. Both venues are roughly 30 minutes away, making it more difficult for fans to travel to the games.
“We will be practicing in Hagerstown for the duration of the season,” Kolb said. “We will work with all local rinks to play our games as close to the original game times as possible.”
Skate Frederick, just five minutes from campus, was to have been the perfect home for the Blazers. However, as the Blazers started to practice early in the season, Skate Frederick was faced with mechanical problems on one of its rinks. Then just before the Blazer’s opening game, Skate Frederick’s second rink also failed, forcing the Blazers to move its opening game against Hilbert College to Rockville.
The game got off to a chaotic start with the teams unable to take to the ice on time because Hood hadn’t signed a contract to use the rink. Upon her arrival, Susan Kolb, Hood’s athletic director was met by Rockville’s general manager, asking her to sign the contract so the Blazers could take the ice for their inaugural season.
The next day, the Blazers headed to a new home in Hagerstown, where they adjusted to a new rink.
Hood continues to look for rinks that could potentially be the permanent home for the Blazers but are likely to play more away games this season.
The players, meanwhile, seem to be taking the setback in stride.
“Obviously it’s not very convenient but at least our coach was able to work out a solution for us so we can continue to get better as a team,” first year player Sofie Ancona said. “I don’t mind it because we still get to play and also going through obstacles is what makes teams stronger.”
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