On Oct. 15, indoor ice rinks in New Hampshire were ordered to shut down for two weeks after health officials said well over 150 youth and adult hockey players tested positive across 23 different teams over the course of two months.
It was the biggest sports shutdown in the Granite State since high school sports were canceled last spring. Last week, Gov. Chris Sununu’s economic reopening task force released a 16-page document that outlines new guidelines for hockey and indoor ice arena activities beginning Friday, the first day play can resume.
Perhaps the most burdensome of the new state guidelines is that all rink staff, volunteers, coaches, referees and athletes should test negative for COVID-19 by Nov. 6 in order to return to the rink. Results are to be kept on file for 30 days.
“It’s a new challenge every day,” said Dick Dodds, who manages Campion Rink in West Lebanon. “It’s stressful but rewarding at the same time. Just to be able to see people skate around and enjoying the ice, it’s a joy. And moving forward, you have to take it one day at a time.”
Hanover Hockey Association, a youth hockey program based at Campion, was holding tryouts for the upcoming season when the state called for a hockey hiatus.
“We as a board had a meeting last Thursday night to go over the draft guidelines that came out,” Adrienne Peraza, the HHA president said in an interview this week. “We also had a few board members on the task force call on Thursday … to make sure we are communicating correctly.”
HHA players are expected to take back to the ice on Friday.
Peraza said her organization will have the team parents help collect the results, and noted that having each family and staff member get tested is a tough but necessary task.
Most age groups at HHA plan to play primarily intra-squad games, having opted out of the New Hampshire Amateur Hockey Association’s youth league to limit travel, Peraza said.
HHA is also accepting player transfers from the Upper Valley Hockey Association, which is based in Hartford. Children in Grafton and Sullivan counties who normally play for UVHA this season are barred from skating at Hartford’s Barwood Arena because of Vermont’s coronavirus travel restrictions.
Hanover Improvement Society, which owns Campion Rink, had put stringent coronavirus protocols in place before the two-week shutdown.
In at least one case, Campion is stricter than even the state’s revised guidelines: Players must wear a mask whenever they are inside the facility, including on the ice during practice or game play. The state doesn’t require a mask during play.
And per the state guidelines staff, athletes and volunteers must be screened on arrival at the ice arena. Dodds said a kiosk has been installed where all entrants will give their contact information, answer screening questions and also have their temperature taken.
The guidelines also outline thorough cleaning procedures rinks must follow after any group comes in. Campion will close the entire building for 30 minutes after any practice, game or free skate to disinfect. It all adds up to some significant ice time lost, about 4 hours per day compared with normal operations.
“In years past we were able to just line up group after group after group with no space in between,” said Dodds, who is head coach of the Hanover High boys hockey team. “Now that’s completely different and it adds up. We cannot get the amount of ice time that our renters need. It’s difficult in that sense, trying to juggle the ice.”
Campion plans to open ice to the public next week. Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Interscolastic Athletic Association has said it will allow all winter sports, which includes hockey, though no specific guidelines have been put out except for a competition start date of Jan. 11.
“Right now we are hopeful all 5 teams that call Campion Rink home will be able to play some type of season this year,” said Jeff Graham, the general manager of the rink which is owned by the Hanover Improvement Society. “Both Lebanon and Hanover High school’s teams purchase a lot of ice from us, so for many reasons we are hopeful the kids will have a season.”
Dodds said some consideration has been made to erecting an outdoor rink for public use, though no firm commitments have been made.
The two-week shutdown impacted the collegiate ranks, as well. The Dartmouth College men’s and women’s teams adhered to the state mandate as it relates to rink closings and moved training sessions back to off-ice strength and conditioning. The Big Green had just returned to the ice.
The guidelines specifically call for collegiate hockey programs to follow NCAA Safety Guidance and in the event that the guidance conflicts, the NCAA Safety Guidance supersedes the state.