Pond Hockey Opportunities

What's better for player development than months of clinics, costs $0 per skating hour, and never results in player burn out?  Pond Hockey!
To watch a great movie on the benefits of pond hockey, check out this film http://www.hulu.com/watch/118204/pond-hockey .  And when you are excited to play, visit a local "pond" or build a back yard rink. Here are some tips:

The Code of Pond Hockey
-Keep your stick below your waist
-No lifting the puck (therefore, goaltenders can't sprawl)
-Don't do anything that might injure another player. 

Local Pond Hockey rinks
Lishness Rink - Brunswick (aka "The Lish")
This is a boarded rink (with goals) maintained by the town of Brunswick.  It is located just off Jordan Avenue in Brunswick - follow blue signs to the grounds of the wastewater treatment plant.  Lighted until 9PM.

Coffin's Pond - Brunswick
This is a flooded parking lot in the Coffin's Pond facility, maintained by the town of Brunswick.  It is located on River Road.

Foreside complex - Topsham
This is a set of two flooded fields at the Foreside complex with packed snow borders, maintained by the town of Topsham.  The westernmost area has lights on a timer that can be turned on at any time.  To get there from the green bridge, go up Main Street Topsham to the light at the top of the hill.   Take a right on Elm.  Go under the highway and railroad bridges and take a right on Foreside.  Go about 1 mile and the Foreside fields are on the left.

Goddard Pond  - Bath
Large flooded field with hockey-specific area  delineated with packed snow borders maintained by the town of Bath.  Hot chocolate stand on the weekends.  From RT 1 Bath, take High St toward Phippsburg.  Pass the elementary school and Hyde school; Goddard fields will be on the left.

Plans for a Backyard Rink
These are BASIC plans for a 46X38 backyard skating rink (50x40 liner) which of course can be modified to suit different dimensions.  No warranties given or implied, and the risk of basement flooding, frozen pipes, and hypothermia is included at no extra cost!
-Find a LEVEL, preferably shady, spot of land.  Start leaving the grass a little longer in September, and keep it clean of twigs, stones, and acorns (anything that might pierce the liner).
-Purchase and cut 1/2" marine plywood into 14 1x8' and six 2'x8' lengths. 
-Purchase five  16' lengths of 'strapping", then cut and shape twenty-eight 18" stakes and twelve 30"  stakes
-Purchase your liner in the fall, also ...WHITE or CLEAR (not black) "6 mil poly sheeting".  Special order a 100'x40' from Down East or Hancock Lumber, and cut it in half  (you can use the other half next year or share with a friend - they aren't usually reusable as liners from year to year, due to tears.)
-Before the ground freezes (usually before Thanksgiving, depending on shade), set the boards and stakes.  It will look something like this:
a             b
 _ _ _ _ _
|               |
|               |
|               |
|               |
|               |
 _ _ _ _ _
c            d

Note the pieces a,b,c, and d should actually be slightly angled to add ~3' of length but less than 7' of width.  This allows the 50x40 liner to come up and over the boards for the initial filling.
-Use the 2' high boards behind the goals (you will lose less pucks that way) and set the long stakes behind the higher boards.
-Pound  two stakes per plywood sheet into the ground, attaching them to the sheets with drywall screws.
- Watch the weather ... when the forecast calls for 2-3 days of below freezing daytime high temps and no precipitation, lay down the liner and start filling... try to bring the liner up and out of the way if not over the boards. There are several ways to hold the liner in place, none of which work very well at all!  Staples, pipe insulation, scrap wood, or duct tape will usually hold it temporarily... once the base of ice is in place, you can trim away the excess to within an inch of the ice with a box cutter, so the liner only has to stay out of the way for the flooding.

Fill the rink to 2 inches water, minimum, which should give you close to 3 " of ice (enough to support an adult).

Be patient, let it freeze solid ... your "deep end" could very well have liquid under the ice for 3 days, and if you step on it too soon you will push water up on the edges.

Keep it clean of leaves and  snow, resurace regularly with the spray method, and enjoy for up to 3 months!

After you drain the rink, you can put your liner in Craigslist as a freebie "used but servicable "drop cloth" or "tarp" for painting ground cover" and usually some kind soul will come recycle it for you.