2016-02-02

Are you and your family crazy for Canada’s unofficial national sport? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to train the next NHL legend? There’s an incredibly easy way to build a hockey arena in your very own backyard, all without tools, hassle or stress. With a rink kit, you can enjoy ice in your backyard without the trouble of expensive and frustrating tools. You won’t need lumber, saws or hammers, and you can also get a top-quality liner that will save your home arena from air bubbles and pits. Increasingly, retailers allow you to order online and deliver straight to your doorstep. You can also get all of the liners, nets, and other accessories you need become a neighbourhood hot spot.

Practicing hockey is essential to the development of any aspiring player. Being able to skate, shoot, and play with friends and family at all times has been cited again and again as key for the creation of the NHL’s biggest stars. Players like Sidney Crosby fine-tuned their games in backyard ice rinks around Canada after school and on weekends throughout their lives. According to his biography, Crosby shot pucks in his basement as early as the age of two and learned to skate by the time he was three. With a backyard ice rink, you can develop a hockey star just like Sidney Crosby himself.

Keep in mind that the most important of any home set up part may be the liner, which essentially holds in all of the water so that it freezes in a solid block for you and your family to play on. Thicker liners are of course more durable, but even the thickest won’t stand up to the sharp blade of a skate, so look for economical options that balance cost with durability. If you reuse them for an extra winter or two, thoroughly patch up any holes. Incredible amounts of water can pass through the smallest punctures and create air bubbles that will crush when someone skates over them. As for the frame, a good kit will come with a set of polypropylene tubes. Polypropylene, a tough plastic material, is durable and strong, and it won’t crack during a deep freeze.

When it comes to maintenance, devices like an ice resurfacer are superior to a regular garden hose.They are efficient and easy instruments that work by controlling water flow with a terry-cloth spreader, smoothing out air bubbles and ridges. An ordinary hose can leave all kinds of imperfections that might trip up young players or crush under pressure. Ontario retailer RinkMaster is one place you can look for an ice resurfacer that will transform your yard with an arena-quality surface.

Winter shouldn’t be about hibernating with video games and the television; an active lifestyle involves all seasons. If anyone can tough out the cold for a bit of fun and exercise, it’s a kid growing up in Canada. Learn how to build a backyard rink and start making memories for your kids. Even if they don’t grow up to be The Next One, they won’t forget the times they had out back of their family home in the middle of January. Find a retailer that delivers quickly and across Canada; some like RinkMaster even offer free shipping. Seize the winter and get your kids sharpening their slap shots.

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