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// AUGUST 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM
VEN BEFORE THE FIRST CUP
of Monday morning coffee kicked
in, Eric Guzdek and his staff were
greeted with a sight for sore eyes.
Impatiently waiting by the glass
d o o r s o u t s i d e t h e N o r t h t ow n
Center in Amherst, N.Y., stood
20 eager youngsters and several
coaches who were ready to hit
the ice for the first time in four
months.
The July 6th goalie clinic orga-
n i z e d by l o n g - t i m e c o a c h a n d
instructor Bob Janosz would be
the first group to grace the ice for what would be
a long overdue session.
" We're definitely happy to see people coming
into the facility again. It's definitely been differ-
ent, but it's a satisfying feeling that we're opening
back up," said Guzdek, the general manager of the
four-sheet facility.
"We all want to get back to normal. We want to
get kids recreating themselves, and we want to
give parents an outlet to get their kids out of the
house and having fun again."
That's the sentiment at rinks around the coun-
try that have slowly reopened in accordance with
state and local guidelines. After months cooped up
inside their houses or social distancing away from
E
With Rinks Slowly
Reopening, Players Of
All Ages Can't Wait To
Get Back On The Ice
By Harry Thompson
ROLLING OUT THE
RED CARPET
