Chilling out

Just as outdoor temperatures start to dip, a familiar chill begins to emanate from the south end of the George H. Love Gymnasium. For decades, Rinks A and B have been the home to Exeter’s boys and girls hockey teams and the setting for recreational skating for the Academy community. Construction of the first indoor rinks on campus began in the late 1960s as part of the massive “new gymnasium” project which was officially rededicated as Love Gymnasium in 1980. Since then, the rinks have played host to thousands of competitions, dorm night outings and, when not frozen, alumni receptions.

1. FILLING THE RINK It takes tens of thousands of gallons of water at the start of every season to turn the concrete subfloor into a skateable surface.
2. KEEPING IT COOL The rinks’ refrigeration system keeps the ice temperature from 17 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit. The indoor air temperature is set to 55degrees with an ideal humidity level no greater than 50%.
3. SMOOTH SURFACE Zamboni is a brand of ice resurfacing machines made by a California-based company, but it has become the common term for any apparatus that performs this function. They shave a thin layer of ice, wash the remaining ice with hot water (about 140 degrees Fahrenheit), then spread the water to create a smooth surface as it refreezes. Ice resurfacers can weigh more than six tons with a full tank. According to Zamboni.com, the machines’ top speed is 9.7 m.p.h.
4. ICE TIME Academy teams, clubs and physical education classes, as well as local public high school teams keep the facility bustling all winterlong. On average, the rinks are in use 70 hours each week. Five dedicated employees keep them in top condition.
5. WINNING HISTORY The first E/A hockey game took place in 1914. The seeds of what became the first Academy-sponsored hockey team were planted a few years earlier, but we all know that sports don’t get real until Big Red and Big Blue clash. Girls hockey at Exeter began for the 1974-75 season. In 1998-99, the boys team posted a 30-3 record en route to its only New England crown. The next season, the girls team took home their own New England championship.