February 1, 2010
A Cold Day in Hell at the Rock: Day 3 Recap
With hundreds of miles traveled, dozens of hours spent, and mere minutes of sleep obtained, ESNJ embarked on their final day of the 54-in-54 project on Sunday morning. Snow remained on the ground, but thankfully had stopped falling by the time we started the day. While the precipitation halted, the cold did not, as we braved an absolutely frigid Ocean Ice Palace in Brick, where breath billowed out so thick that it was as if there was a blazing fire in our lungs. We were rewarded for our efforts, however, with a game of Special Needs hockey between the New Jersey Dare Devils and Brick’s start-up Special Needs team, the first such game of our journey. We went on to visit rinks in Farmingdale, Middletown, and Bridges Old and Wood (Old Bridge and Woodbridge, respectively), along with the Red Bank Armory rink, which was without question one of the prettiest of the trip. The owner of the Red Bank Armory, Doug Brooks, was particularly warm and accommodating to us, and seemed genuinely thankful for being able to work with ESNJ. There was already a disabled hockey event on the schedule at the Woodbridge Community Center. Helpful and welcoming, their staff is heavily involved with disabled hockey in the area.
Perhaps the single most significant development of the day was the interaction with the Beacon Hill Country Club in Summit, NJ. The club initially okayed our visit, but early on in the day, we got word that they had retracted their invitation. We decided to take the trip anyway, and when we got there, a friendly club representative greeted us cordially but nevertheless reiterated the manager’s withdrawal. Co-founder Jon Schwartz, rather than growing angry or frustrated, kept calm, asking the representative if he or the club manager knew what EveryBODY Skates was all about. When the former responded to the negative, Jon explained to him ESNJ’s mission and the point behind 54-in-54, and asked him to call the manager so that he could relay the message. After a brief conversation, the representative came to us with the news that the club manager rescinded his retraction, and Kudos to Jon for keeping his cool, and kudos too to the club representative, who was positive and open throughout the difficult process.
Our day—and our journey—ended with a trip to the Prudential Center. It may be home to Devils, but the warmth provided by both the facility and the staff was a delightful respite from the bitterly cold weather we encountered all weekend. Our seats were fantastic, and during the 2nd period, we were honored by the Devils’ public address announcer and put up on the big screen, for which we received a hearty applause from the fans in attendance. The game ended in a disappointing 3-2 Devils defeat, but it did not dampen the spirits of the EveryBODY Skates New Jersey team.
As we retrieved our bags from the vans, I could sense a slight sadness in the group that could be seen through the cracks of triumph and relief. I, for one, certainly felt it. I grew to really enjoy the company of those in my group, and will miss the camaraderie, as Jon termed it, we shared.
Cheers to Jon and Andrew Schwartz for their vision, their commitment, and their dedication to this project. Truly, 54-in-54 was an utter success, and a genuine achievement.
January 31, 2010
Written by Peter Quartuccio
As the cold front continued to freeze every living thing in New Jersey, ESNJ continued to rack up the miles on its 54-in-54 trek across the state to promote awareness of disabled hockey. Directions were less of an issue on Saturday, thanks in large part to photographer Carter Farmer’s stint as Magellan and Tim Jones’ creative brand of navigational techniques, which included no less than 4 “roundabouts.” Miraculously, these glorified u-turns put us exactly where we needed to be, proving Tim to be as versatile a navigator as he is a player.
Saturday was certainly less hectic, but still packed with events. EveryBODY Skates was treated with a suite and recognized during the Flyers versus Islanders game at Philadelphia’s Wachovia Center. (The Flyers won the game. Coincidence?) Afterwards, Group A’s 4 representatives of disabled hockey—Joe Bowser, Josh Pauls, Mike Wonoski, and the aforementioned Jones—participated in a shoot-around with a Bantam hockey team in Pennsauken, whose goalie looked overmatched against Joe and Mike. We then headed to Canlan Ice Sports Vineland in Vineland NJ, and as we were well ahead of schedule, the guys decided to have an impromptu game with local disabled hockey players. The game was a great watch, with all of the athletes putting on quite a show for those in attendance. After nearly an hour of non-stop hockey, we decided to hit the road. Little did we know that as the game was going on, Mother Nature decided to lower the boom on us in the form of a heavy snow storm. The blizzard threatened to derail our trip, as accumulations were expected to reach and even exceed 8 inches. Group A, however, was undaunted by the overwhelming task ahead of them—approximately 50 miles to the Flyers’ Skate Zone in Atlantic City, where we were taught the intricacies of the zamboni, and another 50 miles on top of that to our hotel in Toms River—and refused to allow crummy conditions to ruin our mission. After the leaving the final rink, everyone partook in some much needed eats at TGIFriday’s (or “Thank God It’s Food,” as it was called by a starving Schwartz, who handled the truly treacherous weather remarkably well).
Sunday is the final day of 54-in-54, and includes trips to Brick, Red Bank, Summit, and to The Rock in Newark, the last of which will mark the end of our journey. EveryBODY Skates will be honored once again during the Devils versus Kings game at the Prudential Center, providing the perfect capper to a groundbreaking weekend.
January 30, 2010
Written by Peter Quartuccio
After a rough start, featuring scrambled directions, broken pavement, and maddeningly inconsistent navigational devices, the first day of EveryBODY Skates New Jersey’s 54-in-54 went relatively smoothly. That is, as smoothly as traveling to over 20 ice rinks over of 8 hours can go, of course. And factoring in the u-turns, in-depth phone interviews with reporters, and requests to passersby for directions, the word “smoothly” can be used loosely. All things considered, however, we made it to our hotel rooms having been recognized by many spectators and having received many notifications news coverage.
Friday was a frenzied affair—it started in the heart of midtown Manhattan at the NHL Store and ended at a Rutgers versus Binghamton hockey game in Somerset, New Jersey (well, technically at an IHOP in Somerset, NJ)—but it was one that ended up being even more exciting than it was busy. Group A, which was comprised of Special Needs hockey player Brian Nadolske, Deaf and Hearing Impaired hockey player Mike Wonoski, Standing Amputee hockey player Joe Bowser, and Sled Hockey Paralympian Tim Jones, along with Wheelchair Sports Federation photographer Carter Farmer, EveryBODY Skates co-founder Jon Schwartz, and myself, Wheelchair Sports Federation journalist Peter Quartuccio, blazed through a frigid New Jersey, stopping at every ice rink along the way.
A crowd of children and adults at the Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain in West Orange grew both in number and in interest as Tim, Mike, Brian, and Joe performed a demo of disabled hockey. It was clear they were enthralled and impressed, and the guys gave them good reason to be so, evincing grace and skill and a palpable sense of enjoyment. An undisputed highlight of the day was when all the members of the group visited the Rutgers’ team locker room shortly before their game against Binghamton. After Jon gave a brief description of the 54-in-54 project, and after Joe offered some words of encouragement (“kick some ass” I believe it was), Brian offered his own nugget of wisdom: “Use that body!” That was his rallying cry, shouting it several times before he left the locker room. He was not finished, however: he yelled it again at almost every Rutgers player as they took the ice, imploring each and every one of them to “Use that body,” oftentimes pairing it with a slap on the back. Everyone got a kick out of it, and Rutgers heeded Brian’s advice.
Saturday looks to be far less hectic, but no less exciting. The day’s schedule of events includes visits to the Flyers Skate Zone in Atlantic City, to the Baker Rink in Princeton, and to the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA for a Flyers versus Islanders game, at which our team will be recognized. If you plan on being in the Garden State on Saturday, please feel free and welcome to stop by: you will not be disappointed.
