Cross Ice Converts
By Harry Thompson
When Gloria Heerman looks out of her Bay State Hockey office at the Aleixo Skating Arena in Taunton,
Mass., she can see firsthand the benefits of the cross-ice program.
She doesnt need to check the increase in registration numbers, chart the improvement in skill development
or hear the compliments from once skeptical parents. All she has to do is look at the faces of the young
players as they step off the ice and see their smiles beaming through the cages of their helmets.
In only its fifth year in existence, cross-ice hockey programs are gaining momentum around the country as
more associations are learning that big things can come in small packages.
What took off as a pilot project for 16 youth hockey associations for the 2001-02 season is now in full
flight as new programs pop up every year, thanks to a growing number of cross-ice converts.
Ive become the pied piper of the cross-ice program, says Heerman, who wishes cross-ice hockey was
around when her son, Roger, began playing more than 27 years ago.
By Heermans count, 11 of Bay State Hockeys 16 rinks in Massachusetts have existing cross-ice programs
or will launch new ones this season. For those who have yet to climb on the bandwagon, Heerman thinks its
only a matter of time.
Some parents think its the best thing since Tootsie Rolls. Theres more ice time for each kid, it saves money
and the kids love it, says Heerman, who oversees the daily operations at Bay State Hockeys rinks.
Then there are other parents and hockey programs that dont want anything to do with it. I dont really think
they have a really clear picture of what cross-ice hockey is all about. They dont know what theyre missing.
As the director of hockey operations for Bay State Hockey, Rick Nadeau knows it will take time to gain
universal acceptance. But after seeing the program and hearing the feedback from players, parents and
coaches, he knows that it will.
As with many programs, seeing is believing, says Nadeau. Cross-ice is less intimidating for beginners. It
builds confidence as it builds skills. Kids enjoy having the puck on their stick and being in the flow of the
game. Theres more scoring and more fun.
It also makes sense from a business standpoint, Nadeau says. If a kid has a positive first experience, he or
she is more likely to keep coming to the rink.
Were looking to create a lifelong passion for the game, and cross-ice helps us do that, he says. Its an
efficient and innovative use of ice, and it keeps the costs down. Thats our goal. The cross-ice format helps
us keep costs down. It helps get new families involved in the sport.
But the cross-ice program is not just about playing on a smaller sheet of ice. Its about changing the focus of
how the game is taught by placing the emphasis on skill development and fun.
The cross-ice program helps young players improve their puck handling and playmaking skills because
there are more opportunities to touch the puck, and encourages them to make quicker decisions because
theyre playing in a smaller space. It also cuts down on the cost of the ice because there are more kids
playing at one time.
Some parents have also rejected the program because they want to see their kid have to skate 200 feet to
have a scoring chance.
Initially there was a lot of resistance to the program because some adults didnt think it looks like real
hockey, says Mass Hockey President Jack McCatherin, who ran the local Initiation Program for years.
Over a five or 10-game schedule, parents come to see the fruits of cross-ice from a development standpoint.
They can see that there are more opportunities for their children to touch the puck and have fun. All of a
sudden they see value that they didnt see before. They start to realize Hey, this could be good for my kid.
The program is catching on in other Districts, as well. The Atlantic District recently received a grant from
the Philadelphia Flyers Foundation to purchase dividers for 10 rinks in the area. The District then mandated
that the Mite teams would hold cross-ice practices until Nov. 15 before playing their first game.
In Wisconsin, cross-ice programs have become part of the natural progression of players from Initiation
Programs to House Leagues.
Its pretty rare when we introduce a new program into youth hockey and somebody isnt mad at us, and you
can just sit back and say, That was a good idea, says former Southern Wisconsin Hockey Association
President David Gault.
Im happy to say that the cross-ice program is a rare exception. When I saw the program, there were three
games going on at once. The stands were literally full of parents, friends and families, and these kids were
obviously having the times of their lives. This is the perfect format for younger players, and it is exposing a
lot more kids to hockey.
You dont have to tell Chris Guertin that cross-ice hockey programs are growing from coast to coast.
Guertin works for Athletica, the Minneapolis-based company that makes the Border Patrol rink dividers.
Theres probably not a state in the union that we havent shipped to. Weve seen the popularity of the crossice program increase year after year, says Guertin, whose company also sells mini-Mite goals and
lightweight blue pucks.
Its become so popular that people order them all summer because they dont want to be left out come
October.