Winter Classic - Final Blog

    Every small town has a spot that feels normal until the temperatures drop below freezing. For some people it could be a tall slope on a mountainside, which turns just another hill into the best spot for sledding, skiing or snowboarding. What I have in mind though, is a little lake tucked in the back of a little town called Beaver Meadows along Route 93, Lake Marie. Usually, Lake Marie would just be your same old run of the mill body of water, with the occasional swimmer or fisherman. When winter comes, Lake Marie turns into something more versatile. Some people use Lake Marie to ice fish; others even ride 4 wheelers and quads along the surface, drifting and swerving. To me, it's the best place to play one of the most entertaining sports on the planet, hockey.

 

    There will come a time of year when the Pennsylvania winter finally hits. Multiple days below freezing in succession, and you think to yourself, “I wonder if the lake is frozen yet.” So, you text some friends and see if they want to go check Lake Marie out. Everyone arrives and you see the lake frozen in place. Ripples line the ice from the waves before the freeze. You send one guy out to test the ice, making sure it's thick enough. A few stomps and hockey stick chops later; you know the ice is good to go. Lace up those skates, tape your sticks, toss out some pucks and get going. There's nothing better than the sound of skate blades grinding along the ice, sticks colliding, and pucks hitting metal posts. The beauty of a nice sunset glimmering off the surface of the ice just tops the experience off. 

    One time a group of guys wanted to play the day after a snowstorm. When we arrived, a fresh layer of powder covered the surface of the ice. We checked to make sure the ice was solid, per usual, and started shoveling off the lake. After about 15 minutes, we went to the gas station up the street for some snacks and drinks. When we got back to the lake, there was an older man there shoveling where we left off. He waved us off when we tried to take the shovel back, insisting that we just play while he finished clearing the ice. 

    He explained that seeing us out there made him happy. Watching a group of teenagers chase a puck across the frozen lake reminded him of being our age, when he and his friends spent every chance, they got outside instead of indoors. Too many people, he said, hide from the cold instead of embracing what winter gives them. Out on the ice, it’s easy to forget how low the temperature actually is. You just enjoy the moment. 

    As he talked, it was clear that Lake Marie used to be even busier in the winters. Anytime it froze, he said, the place would be packed. People came not only to skate around, but to compete. He and his buddies once played in a league on the lake, with teams traveling from nearby towns to face off against each other. Those games felt like war. They were full of hits, fights, and a whole lot of chirping back and forth between the teams. Looking at him, you could believe it. He was a taller guy, probably around 6'2, with a big mustache and the look of someone who had played his share of old-fashioned hockey. Before we left that day, I made sure to thank him for finishing the rink we had started. 

    The next thing worth mentioning is how going to Lake Marie and skating is for everyone. You can go and see people ranging from kids that have never skated before, to people in their 60s enjoying themselves. At Lake Marie, I've played pickup games with kids who have played organized hockey for their whole lives, as well as people who can barely stand upright on their skates. The one thing in common that I have seen between all of them is a smile on their faces. Even if someone falls down every 5 seconds, they just smile and get back up every single time. That just goes to show how easy it is to fall in love with the game. Even if you can't play very well, sitting back and enjoying the beauty of nature during the winter is enough to make you want to come back a second time. This year was the first year I went skating in years and the day after I went all I wanted to do was go back. 

    As previously mentioned, a trip to Lake Marie is for anyone, including people who have never stepped on the ice before. My friend Teagan is a perfect example. Before this winter, he had never put on a pair of ice skates in his life. Growing up, we only really had access to street hockey leagues and pickup road hockey with friends, since the nearest place for organized ice hockey was nearly 50 minutes away. Skating on Lake Marie, he said, gave him a taste of what he had been missing his whole life. He has always loved the sport, and being able to play it on real ice made him realize how much he had overlooked what winter offers each year. After going for the first time in late December, he didn’t want to spend winter break anywhere else. For the record, that really is all Teagan did for the rest of Winter break. We would show up around together at noon and stay until the sun went down. It’s just addictive. 

    Next time it's freezing out, instead of hot chocolate in bed with the heat of your home, maybe put that hot chocolate in a thermal to-go cup. Ask your parents if they've got some old skates buried somewhere in the house, because who knows, maybe they've got a pair tucked away. Bundle up, grab some friends, and go find a local pond, or maybe even head to Lake Marie if you're close enough. Instead of being upset about the bipolar Pennsylvania winter weather, embrace it. Enjoy the sights, enjoy the sounds, and take in that fresh wintery air. Give the meaning of lake day a new definition in your mind. You won't regret it.