Events

Future GoalsTM Program February Dr. Rocks’ Blog! What makes the surface of ice allow fast skating by hockey players? Answer: The surface of ice has a non-crystalline structure. Notice the “shiny trail” left on ice by a skater. This shiny ribbon-like trail quickly disappears as the skater goes by. What is it? It is a…

Future GoalsTM Program January Dr. Rocks’ Blog! Why was the ice-smoothing Zamboni invented? Answer: Ice with ruts can cause a player to be bounced out of balance. The “Zamboni” was invented by Frank Zamboni in 1951. He wanted a machine to smooth the surface of ice in hockey rinks. Why? Even small chips in the…

Future GoalsTM Program December Dr. Rocks’ Blog! Why do hockey players sharpen their ice skates? Answer: Sharp skate blades cut into the ice to prevent slipping on abrupt turn-arounds. Ice hockey blades are ground with a groove in the middle of the bade. This shape creates edges on both the inside, and on the outside,…

Future GoalsTM Program November Dr. Rocks’ Blog! How fast can a professional hockey player skate on ice? Answer: About 20 mph, due to the air resistance for the average player. The speed of a hockey player depends air resistance. Imagine that all players were the same in size, shape, and strength, and skated on ice…

Future GoalsTM Program Dr. Rocks’ Blog! What Thickness of Ice is Required for Hockey Played on Ponds? Answer: About 12-15 inches for team play; 3 inches for one person. The weight that pond ice can support increases with the thickness of the ice “squared”. For example, two inches of ice supports two times two, or…