Over a thousand kids from all over the place playing their guts out for 4 straight days. On top of the hockey, the kids come equipped with their team pins to exchange at face-off and to trade in between games. On top of the trading the kids enjoy time with their teammates and make new friends from other teams.
Upon arrival home Sunday night, my son Jake says to me, "Dad, I just wish life were like FARGO all the time..." Don't we both young man, don't we both.
As we winded between rinks and games all weekend we happened across one of the most unique rinks I've ever seen. In all my years of hockey I've seen hundreds of rinks. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Some are cold (Minnehaha), some are new (Dakota), and some are oozing with tradition (Braemar and Wakota). Some I love (Richfield), some I hate (Bloomington 2), and some are filled with childhood memories (Parade and Augsburg). But for the most part, every hockey rink has 4 similarities: ice that is resurfaced by a zamboni, chilled by underground refrigeration, enclosed by fiberglass boards and plexiglass, and the rink size is usually 200' X 80'.
On Saturday afternoon, my life forever changed when I stepped into SunMart Arena. I knew this rink was special even before we got there -- as we approached the rink somewhere deep in the bowels of the Fargo warehouse district, Jake said to me, "where are you taking us dad?" As if to say, rinks aren't made out of single level warehouses.
After parking 5 blocks from the arena, I finally arrived. As I stepped into this old warehouse, I'm not sure if my first memory will be the smell (imagine outhouse combined with diesel fuel) or the sight of a hockey game played in the dark -- almost as if I was at a back alley dog fight, sans the rif-raf. The lighting and smell were just the beginning. The single sided stands held possibly 125 people comfortably, the rest of the patrons were asked to stand wherever you could find a view. The opposite side of the rink broke all rules of decor....no plexiglass, just some more white fiberglass and an occasional local business sponsorship (I was surprised to find there wasn't a local manure salesmen sponsoring the rink). Not to mention, the rink was 160' X 70' making the neutral zone about the size of a walk-in closet.
I had the pleasure of walking into the rink when it was jam packed (a local team was playing a hated team from the Cities)...which made it seem like I had just walked onto the movie set of Hoosiers. The passion, the excitement and the energy was remarkable. Editor's Note: The team from the Cities won 12-0....sending the local faithful to their cars parked 4 Blocks or less after the second period.
The clincher for me to write this blog had to be my visit to the bathroom....a scary proposition. Before I entered the abiss....it was difficult to decipher Male/Female because whichever 6 year old they let paint the door and the frame decided to paint over the Male/Female sign. Upon arrival to the Men's room I found possibly the worst smell known to man (combine 77 years of non flushed urine with a dash of odor of a minty urinal puck)...you know the kind of smell that forced me to hold it.
As I put the finishing touches on this blog....I'm still not sure if I loved this place or hated it. So I asked Jake if he liked it, to which he replied, "it was awesome -- I just wouldn't want to play there everyday." True that brother, it was the microcosm of our visit last weekend to Fargo -- an awesome experience, but not a place I'd want to live everyday.
Congratulations to the Edina Squirt A team for their impressive run through the tournament (outscoring their opponents some 59-2). Editors Note: Jake does not play for Edina.
19 comments:
I'm not a hockey guy so much. I think it's one of those games invented to give people living in Siberian-like winters something to do outside of ski-ing. That said, youth hockey is a phemonena, unlike most other sporting youth programs. It truly requires dedication, heart and perseverance, along with that other useful quality . . . skill. Great article Tony.
Your picture of the rink almost makes it look habitable. I was there as well and spoke with you after the game. I was also on the bench. There was one door that literally would not open without a Herculean effort. So I sucked up my pride and kept it slightly ajar for the whole period rather than admit my upper body needs some work. Don't forget the religious sayings spattered around the rink - there clearly is a religeous affiliation with that rink (and the home team of the rink is the Fargo Angels...) It may not have been a Cathedral, but it was certainly an awesome experience - and I wouldn't trade it for a game at the X. Great article Tony.
RB says: Great blog -- I can almost picture it and/or smell it....
Z - another great posting. While I have never partaken in the voodoo cult of Minnesota youth hockey, I felt for a moment like I did while reading your blog. Very well written.
P.S. - what is the hockey equivilent of two first downs?
Z - This was a great article. It brought back fond memories of my home rink in Downers Grove, Illinois where I played for the much Ballyhooed Downers Grove Huskies who came to MN when I was a 1st year Pee Wee A and conducted an absolute clinic at the Edina Hockey Tournament. Anyhow that is a whole other story. The rink I played at had everything that you spoke of and then some. It was COLD (the locker rooms weren't heated either), small (neutral zone the size of a closet), poorly lit, had a smell of its own and best of all it lacked plexiglass around the boards. In its place it had wire Fencing. That being said the rink had developed memories of a lifetime in addition to many hockey players came from that sheet of ice, notably Tony Granato and Cammie Granato (US Womens Olympic Captain) among others.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Blake
That is hilarious! When my oldest son was Squirt and we attended the FF tourney, that was the rink that left the biggest impression also. I just remember that we had to have a lot of face off's because the puck kept hitting the rafters! ha! We did not get to play there this year with our other son and I was strangely disapointed for some reason. It is unique in every way... right from the start! Glad you had a good time in the north country!
Nice post Tony!
You were too nice though :)
There should've been some mention of gasoline and matches (jk, sort of)...
They should seriously take up a collection for a new rink. It's pretty absurd that with all the rinks in Fargo, that is one that teams have to play at during the tourney.
That's why our state has a billion dollar surplus. We use what we have on hand and don't spend what we can't afford.
Sure it's not the nicest arena but keeping facilities like this in use (it's in the black each year) allows our kids to get ice time that isn't affordable to the masses in other locations. At around $100/hour it keeps the sport within reach for all who are interested.
A dab of mentholatum up the nose and a good set of wool socks give you a shot a some level of comfort.
I'm a Fargo parent of a Flyers Squirt and enjoyed your article...but, I have to tell you that of the 13 sheets of ice in the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo area, Sunmart is loved by many players for having the BEST ice available.....and yes, son...we get to have FARGO...EVERYDAY!!!!!
The LaCrosse hockey rink growing up spent it's Summers as a picnic shelter and it's Falls as a beer tent.
My kid's team played there last year as Squirt B's -- the 7AM Sunday morning game. Walked in and felt like I'd stepped back in time 50 years. The Bible verses on the walls, the discarded office furniture, and the smell. Pure awesomeness. The kids were down 3-0 with 6 minutes left and popped 4 in before the end of regulation to win. After a few hours off they played at Urban Plains which is exactly on the opposite end of the spectrum and won again. Ask my son where his finest hockey memory is and he'll bark out "SUNMART!" We scheduled an hour of ice there this past Thursday afternoon in the event that we'd get a game there. We didn't, but it was the best $80 this team has spent. I hope they never tear it down.
To all Fargo Natives/Hockey Parents from Fargo/Fargo Angels:
The place was really cool...my son is lucky to have played there....Tabor summed it up best, "I wouldn't trade it for a game at the X"...or a Scheels (which was awesome in another way).
One more thing:
I made it a point to thank every Fargo Flyer parent I came across for the tournament - how well prepared they were, how friendly they were, how fair the officiating was and how fair the brackets were laid out. Hats off to all of you (a two level 16/32 teamer in 1 three rink venue is a bear to organize - I can only imagine the effort).
We were up in Fargo as well this past weekend. What a blast the kids and parents had! A very well run tournament with fantastic ice conditions (my son said that). I asked him which arena he liked the best...he said "Scheels" and followed quickly by "Sunmart too of course". A HUGE thanks to the countless number of volunteers who pulled that off without a hitch. Hope to be back again with son #2.
Great to hear that you all had a great time in Fargo. Sunmart Arena certainly is an interesting place to play - I follow the old addage "Any ice is good ice" My son in a Mite and practices and plays there every couple of weeks. The biggest drawback to Sunmart is the cold temp. Saturday morning when it is 25 below outside, the temp on the ice is not much better. I have witnessed my son's teammates crying after practice becouse their feet were so cold. While the teams no longer pracctice outside in Fargo, Sunmart Arena brings us close.
oh my gosh i think you have all of us hockey parents here in Fargo laughing and shaking our heads - glad everyone had a great time
I will say, Z, this was one of your best. Anyone who has ever played hockey
can relate to the character of a rink has to play on the nostalgia of
the game you've once played and now watch your kids play with such
passion.
I'm just surprised and disappointed you didn't throw the Minnetonka
"bubble" in there somewhere. At least as the coldest....
I was lucky enough to attend the Fargo tournament twice with my son. Two years ago we got off the airplane (from NC) got on a bus and headed straight to SunMart for practice. It was 1 degree and windy. Snow blew under the doors about a foot into the building. It was bitter cold as the boys changed into their gear. Our boys had a good run both years in Fargo, but the trips to SunMart will never be forgotten. Nice blog post.
totally agree with you.
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