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CEnter ice Q&A with a rink professional 54 / JULY.AUGUST.2023 USICERINKS.COM PHOTO: COURTESY OF PAUL GOLOMSKI // How did you get into the rink industry? It was a natural progression to this industry. My passion for ice sports was deeply ingrained in my childhood. I spent most of my free time skating and playing hockey as a kid. I was always interested in the technical aspects of how rinks worked. By the age of 18, I was driving an ice resurfacer, and by 2005, I was the Facility Director at the Pettit Center. // What's the best part of your job? Getting to work with aspiring Olympic athletes in speedskating and playing a role in their development by provid- ing high-level training environments. I love the sport of speedskating and making ice for some of our nation's best athletes is an honor and a privilege. Witnessing an athlete develop from youth to an Olympian is rewarding. // What do you think has been the hardest part about running your facility? The Pettit National Ice Center is a 31-year-old facility with 97,000 square feet of ice which brings a significant amount of challenges with long-term maintenance, capital improvements, and upkeep. The hardest part for me personally is being pulled in so many different directions on a given day. In facilities of this size and age there is always something that needs attention. Determining which repair, maintenance item, or capital project gets budget pri - ority is also challenging. // Craziest experience in the industry to date? Working as an Ice Technician at the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2017 and 2018. It was such an exciting and inspirational opportunity. The icemak - ing team felt like family for 35 days. We all worked well together, and the project required high-level teamwork. I learned a lot, and this was after being in the industry for almost two decades beforehand. I owe that whole experi - ence to Canadian Ice Meister Mark Messer for the opportunity and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. // You started instructing for U.S. Ice Rinks in 2021. What do you enjoy about that role? It's really rewarding to finish a class and see just how much the attend - ees take away from the information presented and how they plan to use this new knowledge in their facilities. Networking with rink operators and learning about their operations is also valuable to me. Sharing my experiences and personal knowledge also helps me feel like I am contributing to overall growth of the industry. // Advice for students that are new to our courses? Don't expect to know and understand everything immediately. Ask questions and take notes. The slides are simply a roadmap. So many are embarrassed about not knowing something going into a class and that's not an issue. It is professional development, and we don't expect you to be an expert coming into class. // If you weren't working in the ice rink business, what would you see yourself doing? That's a tough question. I never planned on leaving this industry. I could go into management, industrial refrigeration, electrical, or water systems industries. // Hobbies/interests outside of work? Home improvement projects, Green Bay Packers, hockey, coaching youth baseball, and watching international speedskating events. Spending time with my wife Ashley and son Benjamin. J Paul Golomski PROFILE Job Title: General Manager, Pettit National Ice Center Years in the Industry: 23 Professional Designations: CIRM Milwaukee, Wisconsin