Summer on the ice
ONALASKA — A backyard in the summer can become a baseball diamond, a driveway a basketball court. Hockey, well, that's a bit trickier. But kids this year will be able to enjoy the sport all summer during open hockey at the Onalaska OmniCenter.
More than a dozen hit the ice Monday morning. It's a way to generate revenue during the summer and also offer youth something to do, OmniCenter building manager Tom Hammill said.
"It's no different than playing sandlot baseball," Hammill said.
That means there aren't the pesky rules like in a traditional hockey practice.
"There's no refs. There's no penalties," said 9-year-old Jake Krause of Chaseburg. "We get goals easy."
Tim Culp of Onalaska coaches hockey and has two daughters - Jessica, 8, and Mackenzie, 13 - who play. He watched the action Monday but said it's really about letting the kids enjoy hockey.
"Hockey in general got too structured. Kids were getting burned out a lot," Culp said. "There's such a big movement to let them have fun."
Open hockey started June 13 and is offered Mondays and Fridays through Aug. 19, with times for 13 and younger and 14 and older. Many of the older kids help younger athletes like 6-year-old Brennan Dirks of Holmen.
"You get to have fun a lot," Dirks said. "You get to run around and learn new stuff."
It's an opportunity for them to get a bit creative, emulating the moves they've seen their idols do on TV.
"It's not just drill after drill," 13-year-old Will Post said. "It's more scrimmage."
Parents, too, enjoy having an option to keep their children busy and hockey skills sharp.
"There's nobody barking orders," Debbie Post said.
Many of the athletes compete against each other during hockey season.
That doesn't happen here.
"It's relaxed," said Stephanie Lass of Onalaska, mother of Sam, 13 and CJ, 9. "They get to have fun with their friends."
Ice for a hockey player always is a valuable commodity. In summer, it's even cooler.
"If there's open ice, they'll be there," said Kari Weber of Onalaska, who came with sons Jack, 10, and Hudson, 8. "It keeps their feet wet."
The OmniCenter also offers public skate times, the next set for 11:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. Monday.
Backyard Basketball Court - News
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