Community Perspective

With the system shut down all summer, it gave us some time to do some remodeling in the building: the construction of a game room, a new manager's office, a team meeting room, and bringing the concessions area up to code. By the end of September, the system was turned back on for the start of a new season.

What am I talking about? LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

It's hockey season once again at the Koronis Civic Arena, located behind Northern Lights. That's right folks, the PNLS (Paynesville-New London-Spicer) hockey teams - with players from three-year-olds all the way to 12th graders - were already on the ice by mid-October.

This sport offers girls and boys, men and women, the opportunity to play hockey from mid-October to March.

The ice arena has four big locker rooms, a large lobby, a fully-stocked concession stand, artificial ice, and a state-of-the-art sound system. All kids in every age group have equal playing time in all games, home and away. We have kids in hockey from Paynesville to Grove City, from New London to Belgrade, and from Spicer to Eden Valley and beyond. Anyone can play hockey up to junior varsity.

Our numbers are growing stronger every year, and it's exciting to see new faces every season.

Did you know that you can now go and see a junior varsity or varsity game at the Koronis Civic Arena? And that your son or daughter can letter in hockey!

Our River Lakes Stars high school program is a co-operative venture between PNLS, Rocori, St. John's Prep, and Albany. As long as a player is enrolled in any of these school districts, they are eligible to play in the high school program.

With our hockey association funding 100 percent of the Paynesville hockey program, zero percent of your tax dollars go into this sport. We fund all of it through fund raisers, selling ice time, selling advertising signs, and donations.

Besides the boat show in the spring, broom ball, and some summer events, we also offer a senior women's league. Starting in November, there will be a group of women - from the ages of 21 to 61 - out on the ice again playing hockey. Some of the women first started not even knowing how to skate. They are always looking for more women to come and have some fun one night a week.

We used to have a men's league, but the numbers got too low. That doesn't mean that we couldn't have another one. So if you're interested, spread the word and get the gang together to play some hockey.

Are you ever bored on New Year's Eve? If so, come up to the arena and join everyone else at our New Year's Eve event. Skate all night, complete with music, fun, and prizes.

With every member of PNLS volunteering their time, it's nice to know that a sport of equal gender can be offered to such a wide age group. I've been involved in PNLS hockey for about eight years, and I've had the time of my life. With my son now in college and not playing hockey in town, I still enjoy watching, helping, and just being there.

This column is basically dedicated to a large number of volunteers from now to when Paynesville first had hockey. These people are the ones that make everything happen at the Koronis Civic Arena today.

So, in closing, why not come up to the arena and check the calendar on the wall for game times so you can cheer on your PNLS Lakers and your high school River Lakes Stars. And, while you're there, check out the public skating times.

Dave Jacobson is one of the many volunteers at the Koronis Civic Arena.

Would you like to participate as a Community Perspective writer? Call Michael Jacobson at 320-243-3772 to get scheduled as a writer or e-mail him at editor@paynesvillepress.com.