STEELE SPORTS

Each winter season since moving to Minnesota, I long for the ponds to freeze so I can lace up my skates and hit the ice.
In the state of hockey, pond hockey may seem commonplace. Not to me.  I laced up my first pair of skates and hit the ice just five years ago with my college roommates.
Growing up in San Jose, Calif., we only had one ice rink for the entire population of 1.3 million, which made finding ice time pretty complicated.
My only real exposure to hockey was going to San Jose Sharks hockey games, where I was a spectator instead of an athlete.
That’s why I instantly fell in love with hockey when I first stepped onto my roommate’s outdoor rink in Mendota Heights.
The feeling of gliding on the ice coupled with the adrenaline of trying not to fall face first was a thrill I’d never experienced.
While I am a long way from skating laps around others on the ponds, I have come a long way since that first day on the ice.
Initially, I could barely stand on the ice for 30 seconds without hitting the deck unintentionally.
Nowadays, I can skate with relative ease, but I am still humbled regularly by anyone who has high school hockey experience.
The best part of the game for me personally is how it brings community together.
Whether you are going out with a group of friends or hitting the pond by yourself looking for a game, it always seems as if you meet new people out sharing their love for the game.
I’ve made friends out on the ponds who I see every winter when the local outdoor rinks open for public use.
While I may not score too many goals or play the best defense, I always manage to have a good time and find a lot of reasons to laugh.
As ponds begin to freeze around Steele County, you will find me cruising around town with my skates and stick ready at any given moment to pull over and skate for a bit.
To my fellow pond hockey lovers: feel free to reach out to me via my work email at johnniesctnews@gmail.com, and let’s set something up!