Not Too Old for Ice Crew Work, But The Partying is Tough

Tonight is the first home pre-season game for the Columbus Blue Jackets. This is a day that I have been both looking forward to and dreading over the last month.


I am excited about seeing the team play even though the pre-season is played by the future players and trade bait of the league. I am also anticipating getting back to work with the Coor’s Light Ice Crew getting the arena ready for hockey, getting the ice surface ready for play, and making sure that the rink stays in tact throughout the game.

The dread that I’m feeling comes from the fact that the majority of those I work with are still in their early 20’s. Most of them haven’t gotten into marriage, kids, or even professions yet. They still can, and do, go out to the bars and clubs until early morning; whereas I start to get sleepy at 10pm and am really ready for bed by 11.

The younger crowd also has hormones that I think were drained from me sometime around the time that most of these kids were born. I’m not old by any stretch in my early 40’s, but sometimes, especially around this group, I feel 70. It is somewhat disconcerting that I now find a leisurely lunch and an afternoon nap more enjoyable than a 36 hour kegger party with the visiting teams’ cheerleaders. It used to be that I could drink and dance until dawn, breakfast at the Waffle House, and then play football all afternoon before getting tired. Today I’m exhausted by 10pm from the hectic schedule that I’ve been working since 5:30 this morning. If only, if only, a nap I could get.

I am grateful to all of the professionals that operate Nationwide Arena and the Columbus Blue Jackets for allowing me my small part in such a great show. I can only hope that my work continues to be important to them so that they keep me as part of the team. I will do my very best to meet my responsibilities to the preparation and maintenance of the rink for each and every game. I will do what I can to be on time, dressed and ready, for every game. I will act appropriately, always understanding that the paying fans are the reason that we are all here. I will try to act my age and be the adult conscience of our crew and, I will try to not be jealous of those who have the abilities to party all night of which I seem to have lost years ago.