We seem to have a problem with hockey pucks (and sticks) being allowed on public sessions. We have a very young run rink (all under 25 i think) and the rink was given to our local University for hockey by a student's grandparents as a gift.

However, it seems to me this is a HUGE liability on public sessions. I addressed the issue months ago with the rink manager, and he very defensively told me that well, if they were to ban the pucks, then they would have to ban the freestyle skaters as well on the public. I didn't argue because, there typically cannot be any reasoning with these folks. I know the freestylers, as few as there are on public, always for the most part look where they are going, and spin in the middle on public sessions.

To me, a deflected hockey puck is much more dangerous. This rink is owned by a rink management corporation, and i also have learned from experience that if i call THEM, they report back my name (or whoever files the complaint) to the rink. BTW, i also work there as a part-time coach and Learn to Skate instructor. I have alrady been treated badly enough by raising other concerns. so i have let sleeping dogs lie until recently when they seem to be allowing more on the ice doing it. I am TERRIFIED of these pucks. Years ago i incurred a head injury (pretty bad one) from skating and i certainly don't want another one. Any suggestions on this? Should i just wait until someone gets hit and sues the rink?

It is a huge liability. Our rink allows either sticks or pucks, never both. So you can kick a puck around (only if it's uncrowded) but not hit it with a stick, or practice with a stick without the puck. For anything else there's hockey ice.

One time I was practicing my jumps and the guys were kicking the puck between my feet all the time. Huge distraction, huge annoyance too. I politely asked the guys if they'd pick one side of the rink and stay there, and I'd go to the other side cuz I really didn't wanna land on top of their puck. And they did stay on 1 side. Well until they got bored, put the puck away and started chasing eachother round all of the ice rink again anyway.

I think that you could talk to somebody from the local city council, and they would very soon put a stop to this thing. During rec skate sessions (ie public sessions), it is rare to have rinks allow anything on the ice except for stationary cones, or pen markings for figure skating practice. And the reason is just simple......for safety. The rink is probably violating some kind of government regulations I'd say. So I think it is definitely possible to do something about this.

Can you possibly find out who insures them and report it? Their insurance company will be horrified also. Does the management company care? If they do, then find another member of your family to call and complain. They should not give a real name to keep it from coming back to bite you. If the management company does not care, then the rink is doomed anyway. I would really appreciate it if you would PM me with the name of the management company. I know some of them, and know the part owner of one large one. That guy would never allow this kind of situation. If it happens to be his company, I would be happy to try to help.

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Okay, i'm a little ignorant on this forum stuff. What is a PM ?

I would do it (whatever it is) but i am still very nervous about it all. I know people who have actually left because they won't skate on the sessions with the puck people, and/or pulled their children off the sessions.

PM = private message

I only skate sessions where pucks arn't allowed. It's an invitation for a head banger. At one of the rinks where I skate there was a hockey Dad who knew the owner and thought it would be OK, even though pucks on the ice during public sessions are banned. I reported him to management and they quickly put a stop to it. It's very dangerous.

At an outdoor rink where I sometimes skate during the winter I come across this problem. I just go over to the person with the puck and say "you realize I have to watch you the entire time I'm here so I know where the puck is *at all times*".

That usually helps the problem go away.

Click on my user name at the beginning of my post, and select "send a private message to dbny". A window will open into which you can type your message to me. Click "send" (or "submit", I don't recall which) to send it. When you receive a PM, you will be notified by a pop-up window when you open the Skatingforums page next time. To reply to a PM you have received, you have to select "Quote". I then just delete any of it I really did not want to quote.

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Well, i spoke with a mom i know at the rink today about it, and she will report it. It may be a few weeks because she wants to have an eyewitness account of it herself. She is not afraid to speak up. I, on the other hand cannot endure any more acid attitude, and i enjoy teaching learn to skate and a few private lessons to have anything underhanded done to me, and i don't trust the rink management company anymore. So, hopefully this will be handled soon.

Thanks for the input, ya'll.

What part of the country are you in?

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