HOCKEY AT THE SKATIUM ICE ARENA
Youth House League Evaluations are Underway
2024/2025 Youth House League Hockey Registration Deadline is September 15!
6U and 12U - Please Note:
Your Ice Slots on Wednesday, Sep. 11 have been moved up 10 minutes, to 5:40pm and 6:50pm respectively
Please see attached calendar
SKOKIE 6U PILOTS - INTERESTED COACHES
We've not received any contact to date from Dads or Moms (or grandparents, or older siblings, or aunts or uncles...) interested in coaching. Our 6U coaches, who can convey both the fun and fundamentals of hockey to the players, are the backbone of our program.
If you are interested in coaching, please bring your skates, helmet, gloves and stick to our first evaluation. We'll get you on the ice. There are USA Hockey certification and screening requirements you'll need to get through to become officially rostered as a coach, but we can take care of that as we move along. Hope to see you out there Wednesday, Sep. 11, at 5:40pm.
Dave Inman - Skokie Hockey Program Assistant
SKOKIE FLYERS and PILOTS FAMILIES
Hello Skokie Flyers Families -
Thank you for registering for another season of Skokie Flyers' Hockey! We are looking forward to our upcoming 2024-25 season. Below are some important dates regarding the upcoming season.
9/8/24: Evaluations begin for 8U-18U teams (evaluation schedule PDF above).
9/11/24: Evaluations begin for 6U teams (evaluation schedule PDF above).
9/15/24: Deadline to register for the league. If you know anyone that is planning on registering, please let them know they cannot register after 9/15
9/17/24: Final rosters are due to the NWHL. The deadline for NSYHL teams will be around the same date
9/22/24: Scheduling meeting for all levels (this is when we will know when games will be)
9/27/24: Pre-Tier games begin
We are in the process of putting together practice schedules but will not finalize until after evaluations have been completed and we have a better idea of teams and ice needs will be. We appreciate your patience while we get everything together. Please remember to check spdhockey.org for updates as well.
Also remember that USAH-approved neck laceration protection was required of all youth hockey players starting August 1.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to our office at 847-929-7901 or respond to this email.
Thank you,
The Skatium Ice Arena
Kurt, Brandi, Michelle, Christine & Dave
HOUSE LEAGUE COACHES - Please Read
House League Coaches, we need to compile contact information going into the new 24/25 season.
If you are a returning coach this season, or a new coach interested in coaching this season, please send us a short email with your
- name
- phone number
- the best email address to contact you, and
- the player age group you are interested in coaching
to Kurt VonHelms: kvonhelms@skokieparks.org
and cc to Dave Inman: david_r_inman@hotmail.com
We'll make sure we get you in the database and have a way to contact you directly as we get nearer to evaluation (week of Labor Day).
Please note that the usual USA Hockey rules apply to your coaching position:
- Annual Registration with USAH (by August 31)
- Completion of, at minimum, USAH Coaches Certification Level I by December 31
- Safe Sport certification
- Background Screening (unless you were screened in 2023)
- Completion of the Age-Specific Module for the age-group you'll be coaching (8 and under, 12 and under, and 13 and over).
- Also, for those who have not previously taken it, you'll need to complete the Foundations of Player Development pre-requisite before you can sign into your Age-Specific Module.
Please refer to the Coaches tab on the USAH website for complete information.
Gene Razdolsky Scholarship Fund 2024-25 Applications NOW OPEN
The application process is NOW OPEN for the 2024-25 Gene Razdolsky Scholarship Fund.
TIMELINE
July 15 – Applications Released
August 15 – Applications Due
September 1 – Winner Announced
September 10 – Award disbursed (to cover Fall Expenses)
The Gene Razdolsky Memorial Fund will provide one $1,500 scholarship to a Skokie house player. Gene Razdolsky was a man of extraordinarily remarkable character, patience, empathy and kindness, and a beloved coach at the Skokie Skatium who celebrated victories and losses with equal passion. See more information about Gene and the Scholarship below on the Home Page. All levels may apply.
2023 Spring A Champions Nighthawks
2023 Spring B Champions Golden Mounties
LEARN TO PLAY HOCKEY CLASSES
The Skokie Park District offers several options for every level hockey player and most ages (3 - adult). Please click on the "Classes & Clinics" tab above for additional information.
Classes: Learn to Skate are available various levels and ages on the Studio ice sheet:
Future Flyers I (beginner) Ages 3-13, 40-minute classes, Sunday and Thursday (broken into ages 3-6, 7-13).
Future Flyers II (advanced beginner) Ages 3-13, 40-minute classes, Sunday and Thursday (broken into ages 3-6, 7-13).
Fearless Flyers (intermediate) Ages 5-13, 1-hour classes, Sunday and Thursday.
Adult Hockey Class: Ages 16+, 1 hour, Tuesday. A great way to get exercise and work on your hockey
More ice time: Open Hockey
For those looking for more ice time, please consider attending Open Hockey. Please click on the "Classes & Clinics" tab above for additional information.
HOCKEY NEEDS REFEREES
Become a
REF
"Do More With The Sport You Love!"
Minimum Age Requirement-12 Yrs Old
Great Exercise & Great Pay
SKATIUM RINK FLOOR DEMO
In March, the Skatium began a renovation to replace its aging mechanical equipment. Above is a brief video of the demo of the concrete rink floor which began on March 14th. The Skatium re-opened in October 2022.
GLICKMAN RETIRES
Skatium long-time Director of Hockey Operations – Steve Glickman retired effective May 1, 2022.
After growing up in Skokie and playing for the Skatium’s first ever hockey program as an eleven year old when the facility opened in 1973 Steve was hired by the Skokie Park District as a Hockey/Golf Program Supervisor in 1987. As the hockey program continued to grow and with spring and summer hockey becoming more popular Steve’s golf responsibilities were removed from his job in 1997 and his title was adjusted to Director of Hockey Operations.
Steve, left the Skokie Park District in 1999 for another park district, but returned in 2006 and continued completing 28 years with the Skokie Park District and a total of 35 years as a Hockey Director in the Illinois Municipal Parks and Recreation System.
“I am forever grateful to the Skokie Park District and Mr. Mark Schneiderman for initially hiring me and allowing me to work in the place that has always been ‘my home away from home’,” Glickman said. “I am also very appreciative to have met and worked with so many great people within the hockey community over the 35 years of my career. I am one fortunate guy.”
"District Hockey Director Retires After Five Golden Decades"
(CLICK ON LINK ABOVE) Enjoy the article written by Skokie Park District's Director of Communications and Marketing Jim Bottorff about the May 1st retirement of Skatium's Hockey Director Steve Glickman.
SKATIUM RENOVATION COMPLETED IN 2022
December 1, 2021
Several components of the main rink refrigeration system are original from 1973 and are obsolete.
Both compressors utilized by the main rink date to 1989, one of which had a cracked head casing and was on borrowed time.
The main rink concrete floor was replaced in 2004, however in a cost savings attempt, outdated refrigeration components were not repaired and only the rink floor was replaced.
Boilers that supply the water to the system corroded, with the boilers and pipes needing to be replaced. This is also true of the original 1973 air handlers.
The entire project is estimated at $4.78 million, which will be offset by a recent $2.5 million Park and Recreational Facility Construction (PARC) grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The remaining balance of $2.28 million will be paid with a bond issue sold in March 2022.
If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Jon Marquardt, Superintendent of Facilities, at (847) 929-8520.
LiveBarn is now available at the Skatium. Go to www.livebarn.com to sign up. Use Promo Code 76d7-82pd to Save 10%
AHAI Concussion Testing
Former NHL Star and Skokie Flyer Mike Brown is interviewed by Sal Barry on this Puck Junk Podcast. Mike talks, among other things, about his start in hockey with the Skokie Flyers and at the Skatium Ice Arena.
Enjoy listening to the podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/puck-junk/mike-brown-interview-36-12132019
OUR CHAMPIONS
Thanks to Stanley Cup winning former Chicago Blackhawks player and current television analyst Jamal Mayers and the Blackhawks for offering a Rink Partnership Clinic on December 30th where all participants had made generous donations to the Village of Skokie Holiday Giving Program to help out the needy people of Skokie for the holidays.
Blackhawks Legend Stan Mikita played at the Skatium in the very first Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Game in 1988. Here he battles for a loose puck against Dale Tallon, as Keith Magnuson backs up Tallon. The referee was an active playing Denis Savard and the goalie was Skatium's Hockey Director Steve Glickman.
January 9th marked the 36th Anniversary of the first ever Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Game that was played at the Skatium back in 1988
Former Chicago Blackhawks player and Stanley Cup Champion Jamal Mayers visits the Skatium to assist with the Blackhawks/Total Hockey sponsored "Little Blackhawks" class on March 26th.
FLYERS APPAREL
Looking to buy Flyers Hockey Apparel?
If you are interested in obtaining the branded apparel, go to the link below.
http://www.jerryshockey.com/apparel/team/skokie-flyers-hockey-club.htm
MIKE BROWN, former Skokie Flyer and current NHL star, most recently with the Montreal Canadiens, comes back to his original home and visits the Skatium and the Summerstars Hockey Camp on July 25th signing autographs with his son Axel looking on.
Flyers Coach Tom Pappas enjoys a beautiful day on the water with his friend Stanley
Former Chicago Blackhawks player and current television analyst Steve Konroyd, along with Blackhawks mascot Tommy Hawk, visits the Skatium to conduct a skills clinic with proceeds benefitting the Village of Skokie Community Holiday Giving Program
FUTURE FLYERS
Learn to Skate for Hockey
Starting the Fall Season on September 5, 2024
Our classes offer players who want to eventually play on a Flyers hockey team, but have little or no hockey or skating experience. This program takes the beginner skater from standing on skates to executing basic forward and backwards skating skills. Protective equipment is required and provided as part of this class. This includes helmet with facemask, elbow pads, shin guards, hockey gloves and stick. Skate rental is $3 per session.
For 3-6 year old classes only we allow one parent to accompany their child on the ice during the class. Parents must have their own skates. Please arrive 20 minutes prior to the start of class to put on equipment.
Please click on the CLASSES & CLINICS tab at the top of this page for more information.
To register or for more information, please call 847-674-1510,
photo courtesy of Patrick Long
Chicago Blackhawks Great and NHL Hall of Famer Denis Savard has been one of many special guest instructors who have conducted skills clinic at the Skatium.
2023-24 Gene Razdolsky Memorial Scholarship winner
ANNOUNCING THE GENE RAZDOLSKY SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Gene Razdolsky was a beloved coach at the Skokie Skatium who passed away after a long battle with cancer on February 6, 2022. Gene was a man of extraordinary remarkable character, patience, empathy and kindness who celebrated victories and losses with equal passion. To honor Gene's memory, we are establishing a fund in his name that will be awarded to one player annually. The goal is to make this award available so that Gene - and all that he embodied - remains part of the Skokie Park District's hockey program.
WE ARE COLLECTING DONATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THIS FUND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. Our goal is to make this a scholarship that exists for the years Gene would have otherwise been at Skokie.
To contribute, payments can be made to the following:
Youth Foundation of Skokie
C/O Skokie Skatium
9300 Weber Park Place
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Be sure to include in the “notes” section that the donation is for the Gene Razdolsky Scholarship Fund.
The Youth Foundation of Skokie is a 501c3 and donors will receive the full benefit of a charitable tax donation. Unfortunately, credit card payments may not be accepted at this time.
We anticipate awarding the first year’s recipient prior to the 2022-2023 fall season at the Skatium. Additional details to follow.
Questions about the fund can be directed to Nicole Seidlitz (nseidlitz@msn.com).
GENE RAZDOLSKY
We are very saddened to report that longtime Flyers Coach Gene Razdolsky succumbed to cancer and passed away on Feb 6th. He was 52 years old. Coach Gene was a favorite coach with our Flyers program coaching teams that his boys Robert and Liam played for throughout their seasons with the Flyers. A one-time Flyer himself as a kid, Gene and his wife Eileen were extremely loyal to our Flyers program most recently living in Lake Villa, yet travelling the extra miles to the Skatium to make sure his boys continued to play for the Flyers. Coach Gene will be sorely missed.
