Build a Backyard Hockey Rink

First, let me say that this is a re-post of something I put together quite a few years ago. I thought it was timely, though, considering that winter is creeping into the colder regions of our world.

Secondly, we owe this post to a long ago question posed by my good friend Christopher. He’d been working on his own backyard rink, he’d run into a bit of difficulty with that, and eventually wrote me seeking some help.

Actually, I was a bit embarrassed that I didn’t have a quick answer to Christopher’s question, despite having long ago built a dozen or so rinks for my son and then grandson.  So, I’m thinking that this post might prove a great way for all of us to share ideas or experiences on this subject.

This project caused me to scurry through YouTube.com to see what others had done so far in this area.  To be honest, almost all the various videos on backyard rinks were nearly the same, with most of them only varying in extras — like lights, high boards, doors in the boards, etc.

I finally settled on the video just below, mainly because it’s a really basic set up, and because it gives a pretty good view of everything.  So, please have a look before we go further on the subject.  (Don’t panic that you don’t hear a soundtrack; there is none for this video.)

As I said previously, I’d built a number of these, and I can tell you that finding a truly level area is critical to preparing for a backyard rink.  And, that’s part of the reason I suggest planning things earlier in the year, when the ground is still soft and workable.  Truly, spending some time in the warm weather leveling the planned area for your rink might be the best thing you ever do.

I also suggest erecting the boards section of the rink while the ground is still relatively soft, so that some stakes can be driven into the ground to hold the boards in place.

I highly recommend thinking about disassembling the rink as you plan its assembly.  I mean, large screws and metal brackets can make things a whole lot easier to take the boards apart at season’s end, rather than using large nails or spikes.

I might also offer the idea of buying the plastic liner beforehand, just so that you can design the rink’s measurements accordingly.   (There’s nothing worse than discovering you have to piece together several sections of plastic in order to get coverage, knowing full well that there’s a strong chance the thing is going to leak with each thaw.)

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As an aside here, you know I’m all about teaching, or development.  So, let me share a philosophy I’ve held for a good many years…

The kind of discipline I provide in my clinics and practices is essential to players acquiring all the skills and smarts necessary to play at a high level.  Hey, there are proper ways to move on the ice, puckhandle, pass, receive, shoot, check, deal with critical situations, what have you.

Beyond that, however, I’ve also always said that the mark of a “real player” is based on what he or she does in his or her spare time.  In other words, he or she should gain discipline from proper instruction, but then go freelance as much as possible to truly separate himself or herself from the pack.

In-lines can help us do that during the warm months, as can dryland training and even floorball.  However, I think the backyard rink is an awesome place for a youngster to really experiment — or hotdog a bit — during the hockey season.

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Okay, from here onward, let’s consider this YOUR post, or a place where anyone can share ideas, ask questions, etc.  I’m even going to leave this available to the public, just so we can gain even more input.

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The singer featured below actually stopped by an earlier post I did on this topic, and he suggested that I share his video with other backyard rink enthusiasts.  So, enjoy, folks (and, thanks, Geoff). It sure put a lump in my throat…

One last thing… There are some problems that come with skating on outdoor ice, so be sure to catch my advice on “Hockey Skating On Outdoor Ice“.

2 Comments

  1. Anthony on November 25, 2022 at 2:23 pm

    The secret is packed snow. In my ice building “career” the rookie mistake I made at first was trying to layer water to eventually form a thick enough ice only to have it crack or melt away with a bit of warm weather or rain. Then I wondered how my local lake turned into a beautiful sheet of ice during the same time I was trying to make it. Simple. The snow fell on the lake, it was naturally moistened, it hardened from the surface down and eventually the sun melted the top layer to form the glassy ice surface. Voila!
    Next season I packed the snow that fell in my backyard, damped it with a bit of water then, when the time was right put the final thin layer of water on top of my now BRICK ice block and eventually got the perfect ice (kind of like the arena ice except my coolant was a solid brick of mother natured frozen ice-snow underneath). Mother Nature did most of the work while I enjoyed a nice beverage 😉

    • coachchic on November 25, 2022 at 3:08 pm

      Man, where were you all those years when I labored over backyard rinks for my son and then my grandson? That’s an awesome idea, and I hope it helps a lot of hockey parents who pass through! Thanks a bunch, Anthony!

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