WALKER, Mich. — A once silent Walker Ice & Fitness Center is beginning to get louder as kids file onto the ice and their parents into the stands for an afternoon of practice. It's an opportunity ice director and former Grand Rapids Griffins goalie Mike Fountain looks forward to.
"I think it's the greatest sport in the world, I truly do. It keeps kids motivated on the ice three, four times a week, and it's never a bad thing," he said.
The sport, often known as one of the most expensive to get your kids into, is about to become more affordable on Saturday, March 5. That's when USA Hockey teams up with ice arenas across the country for an event called "Try Hockey For Free."
"It's an opportunity for anybody. Maybe you haven't skated before. Maybe you have skated and you're interested in trying hockey out," said Fountain, who also serves as director of the Hawk hockey program.
"We have donated equipment and free skates to be used for the event. We get a lot of our new Hawk hockey players will come from this event. So it's a really cool thing."
The Walker Ice & Fitness Center only asks that you bring a helmet if you have one. If not, a bicycle helmet will work.
Here is a list of participating locations in West Michigan:
- Cedar Rock Sports Plex, 4758 Cornfield Drive, Cedar Springs, 3:30 p.m.
- Eagles Ice Center, 2600 Village Drive SE, Grand Rapids, 10 a.m.
- Griff's Georgetown 8500 48th Avenue, Hudsonville, 1 p.m.
- Griff's Ice House West, 4444 Holland Avenue, Holland, 10:30 a.m.
- Southside Ice Arena, 566 100th Street SW, Byron Center, 6:35 p.m.
- Walker Ice & Fitness Center, 4151 Remembrance Road NW, Walker, Noon
- Wings West, 5076 Sports Drive, Kalamazoo, 1:30 p.m.
You can sign up on USA Hockey's website.
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