Home to skating champions, Great Park Ice also offers opportunities to those who’ve never skated at all.
“A lot of people in Southern California might never have been in an ice rink,” says Craig Appleby, Great Park Ice’s director of marketing. “So we have nice little entry points, a way to get experience around the building and to introduce the basics, like knowing what it feels like to wear a pair of skates.”
Early entry
First Strides is a free two-week program for children 4 to 12. Learn to Play Hockey runs four weeks, also for those ages 4 to 12 and free. Participants in both programs are loaned all the necessary equipment, giving children an on-ice experience without requiring any financial commitment.
“We understand we’re a nontraditional hockey market here, and entering the sport can be intimidating and come with a high price point,” Appleby says. “So the idea is to make the sport more accessible to everybody.”
Next steps
After Learn to Play Hockey, the next program is called Little Ducks, which includes a fee that covers the cost of new equipment. For those interested in figure skating after First Strides, Great Park Ice hosts a variety of beginner figure skating classes.
Adult classes
The facility has similar first-ever learning opportunities for adults interested in sampling ice skating or hockey.
Alex Chang, Great Park Ice’s skating director, says the goal upon opening the facility in 2019 was to be “a people-growing business” designed to allow participants to flourish on and off the ice.
“It’s wonderful if you can come out with an Olympic medal around your neck,” he says. “Not everybody’s going to do that. But everybody can level up and be the best version of themselves. That’s what we hope they get walking through our doors.”
More info: greatparkice.com
