Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1540050
44 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2025 USICERINKS.COM 2. Equipment Distribution – Provide sleds, sticks, and protective gear. Staff assist with sizing and fitting. 3. Warm-Up – Off-ice stretching, basic exercises, and instruction on getting into and strapping into sleds. Participants also practiced how to upright themselves when a sled tips—an expected and harmless part of the sport. 4. Basic Skills – Learn how to propel across the ice, puck handle, pass, and shoot. 5. Skill Drills – Practice propulsion, stopping, turning, passing, and shooting through structured drills. 6. Scrimmage – Divide participants into teams for a lighthearted game. Depending on skill levels, play either full-ice or cross- ice to maximize puck touches. With no accessible benches at our facility, inactive players sat between the blue and red lines. 7. Cool-Down – Light stretching, Q-and-A, and feedback from participants. 8. Closing – Thank everyone for attend- ing, share information about upcoming sled hockey opportunities, and provide resources for getting involved. We also scheduled a longer ice mainte- nance slot afterward. Because sleds leave deeper cuts in the ice, a 30–40 minute window allowed our ice techs to perform a wash cut followed by a full make cut. The Results The event was extremely successful, introducing us to several staff and stu- dents who already play sled hockey. They requested dedicated ice time similar to adult stick-and-puck or drop-in hockey. As a result, we created a week- ly sled hockey session— no-check, pickup style—for students, faculty, and members during the fall and spring semesters. By following this structure, facilities can create a fun, welcoming, and sustainable way to grow adaptive hockey opportunities. J www.gandainsurance.com G&A INSURANCE, INC. 34 Dover Point Road, Ste #200, Dover NH 03820 p: (603) 742-2644 e: info@gandainsurance.com Protection Made Personal. Insurance from people you trust. G&A Insurance is a premier provider of property and casualty insurance for ice rinks. Located in Dover, NH, G&A Insurance has a staff with over 50 years experience insuring the ice skating industry. To learn more about the G&A difference and how we can work together to meet your needs, contact Jeff Gray at 603-742-2644 ext. 118 or email jdgray@gandainsurance.com. ICE RINK PROGRAM COVERAGES • Property, Crime and Equipment Breakdown Coverage • Liability and Excess Liability Insurance • Worker's Compensation • Specialty coverages including: Pollution Liability, Directors and Officers Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Digital Risk Coverage and more… REAL PROGRAMS Successful programs to consider adopting k Schedule extra time—at least 30 minutes— for ice maintenance after sled programming. PHOTOS: CU BOULDER