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time were allowed on the ice and no par- ents and spectators could be in the rink. Adults and youth alike had to dress at home prior to jumping on the ice because locker rooms were closed. Because local guidelines restricted how many people could be on the ice at once, the rink staff decided to divide the ice sheets in half where 10 players could compete on a half sheet for a half hour. Adult players were given weekly ice times to help their health and wellness. "We were able to roll with the changes," Stenehjem said. "The municipalities said no more than 20 bodies on the sheet of ice and no games of opposing teams—we turned it into a practice league. Most of my teams came out. They all had less than 20 on their rosters. They would find an extra goalie and they would come out and play scrimmages just as adult practices." That routine worked pretty well throughout the summer. In late July/early August 2020, local mandates were eased a little bit, opening up more opportunities for hockey players. "We were able to get a good start to the adult season and in a lot of cases, we still had a good number of teams," said Stenehjem, who has been managing the adult league for 18 years. "I think our numbers speak for themselves in the number of participants we had last year." In November 2020, another shutdown happened and the rink was limited in its participation numbers. "The other caveat was they required that anybody participating in ice hockey wear a mask both on and off the ice," Stenehjem said. "I had a thousand people out skating around wearing masks for a couple of months. They were resistant, but they were compliant. That included, I represented about 70 or 80 guys that are over the age of 65, most of them in their 70s and some as old as early 80s. Those guys were all out learning how to skate with a mask on, because they love the sport so much." When things opened back up in early February this year, the league resumed its season where it left off. Stenehjem feels like things are getting back to normal at the rink and with the RAHL. The rink is continuing to clean its facility just as thoroughly each day as it did during the worst times of the pandemic. The rink invested in ultraviolet disin- fecting light that gets brought around the facility each night until all the public areas get cleaned. The rink also utilizes electro- static foggers to sanitize player benches. The fall season for the RAHL gets underway on Sept. 7, and players couldn't be more enthusiastic. Stenehjem is feeling like the worst of the pandemic is behind them in Anchorage. But he still wants to com- municate to the players and make sure they feel safe—just like during the heart of the pandemic—every time they come to the rink. "We wanted to make the facility avail- able to anybody who was comfortable enough to continue playing the game given the climate at the time," Stenehjem said. "So, we put in a pretty rigid cleaning protocol through all of the changes dur- ing COVID. We didn't want to put any pressure on anybody. If you don't feel like skating, we will make a resolution that you get your money's worth for what you invested. If you choose to step away, we welcome you back just as soon as you're comfortable. We'll do everything we can to keep the building comfortable." J REAL PROGRAMS Adult Hockey 50 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2021 USICERINKS.COM , Adult hockey programming can provide a much- needed boost to facilities year-round. WE'RE OFF TO A VERY PROMISING START FOR THIS SEASON. WE WERE KIND OF ABLE TO HOLD OUR OWN FOR THE MOST PART THROUGH THE COVID PERIOD." PHOTOS: USA HOCKEY