Notes: Backyard rinks can be `positive outlet for these stressful times'
Skating, of course, is what many yearn to do. Backyard rinks are the solutions for some.
“It really is going back to the origins of the game,” said Oakman, who has his own backyard rink. “Maybe this generation of kids will better reflect on the joy you get from playing in the fresh air.”
There does seem to be an uptick in folks tweeting about backyard rinks, but COVID is even affecting that. We spoke to two people who are now fairly famous for their backyard rinks. You see them on those Canadian Tire ads, the big winners of Operation Puck Drop and massive rinks — Evan Smith, of Thorold, Ont., and April Hadley, of Thunder Bay, Ont..
Both would love to share their rinks with their communities but can't right now due to restrictions on outdoor gatherings.
Hadley, it turns out, promotes physical activity in children through the public health unit in Thunder Bay. She recommends walking, if nothing else.
“Physical activity supports the overall health in children,” Hadley said. “It's a positive outlet for these stressful times. Their sports are different, their school is different. Having a physical outlet for stress is incredibly helpful.”
Of course, the climate being what it is, backyard ice can melt or get mushy. Smith got a synthetic ice rink for the backyard of her Thorold home, a household of six altogether.
“It's a little harder to skate on, it takes a little bit more power, or that's what people have told me,” said Smith, who uses a sledge on the ice. “But once you get the hang of it, it's just like ice. It's really good for training.”
After hockey: Michael Del Zotto seems like an interesting dude. He plays the alto sax. He's a DJ. He has a degree to work in personal finance. He's involved in three charities.
“I'm always looking to learn and become a better human being,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to have great parents who instilled quality values in me in a young age. It was never `hockey, hockey, hockey' and that's your whole life.
“I don't want to come out of the game clueless with what options I have. I'm trying to make that path for life after hockey a lot smoother. I never want to be remembered as `Michael Del Zotto, the hockey player.' I want to be more than that.”
And ... action: Brent Burns might be more interesting than Del Zotto. The San Jose defenceman spoke with the Star this week about his two-episode role as Skane on the History Channel's “Vikings,” a role he lobbied the producers for. “I was a huge fan of the show. And people would tell me I looked like I could be on the show without any makeup. I would tweet at them. And it ended up happening. It was crazy.”
Filming took him to Ireland, where he got a chance to watch Limerick play Cork in a hurling semifinal, a sport played on grass with sticks (hurleys), a ball (sliothar), multiple ways to score, and a lot of bumps, bruises and broken bones at the end of it.
“I didn't know what the game was, and we go, and it ended up in overtime, crazy, full stadium. Exciting. Fast. And I didn't have a clue what was happening. If they score on one side, the next thing you know it's down the other side. The battles they have. I don't know how anyone survives that game.”
He's not the first athlete to join “Vikings.” Former Blue Jays star Josh Donaldson appeared in one episode as Hoskuld.
“I've always loved historical pieces,” Burns said. “One of the cool things was seeing the villages, how they built it up. When you went on set, you were back in a Viking village, getting ready to pillage. The only difference? People had their iPhones out and were wearing Oakleys. Other than that, they were geared up with axes, and swords and shield. It was incredible.”