Glacier Ice Arena continues to grow with Blackhawks’ success

VERNON HILLS – As the Chicago Blackhawks continue their efforts to bring the Stanley Cup back to Chicago, area hockey enrollments are steadily increasing.

Eric Schneider, general manager and hockey director for Glacier Ice Arena, 670 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills, said since the Blackhawks and hockey began airing on national television several years ago, there has been a dramatic increase in enrollments for the arena’s hockey programs.

“The ice rink is a different place since that happened,” Schneider said.

In the 2008-09 season, Glacier Ice Arena’s youth hockey program had 350 players. The 2014-15 season boasts 750 players, which includes 70 girls.

In 2008-09, the program had only 20 girls. Both the Learn to Skate program and Adult Leagues also have seen about a 25 percent increase in the same time period, Schneider said.

“Youth hockey is the mainstay of the facility,” Schneider said, though Glacier Ice Arena offers Learn to Skate, House and Travel Hockey and Adult Leagues. “… Hockey and skating are become a year-round sport.”

Libertyville resident Jeff Anderson, 11, has played hockey for the past four years and said he has seen much improvement in his skills over the years.

“I think hockey is definitely a tough sport and I think I’ve progressed a lot over the time of me playing,” he said, adding his skating speed has improved.

Although the success of the Chicago Blackhawks didn’t have a huge impact on Anderson’s decision to play, he said he could see how a team doing well could peak a child’s interest.

“I’ve definitely seen [an increase] at Glacier,” he said. “It seems there are a lot more kids and teams.”

Anderson started playing in the House League, but has progressed to the Travel League. He practices three or four days every week for a couple hours each day and he’ll keep playing for as long as he enjoys it. Anderson added it is rewarding to meet people he wouldn’t otherwise have met if it weren’t for Travel League and also rewarding to play a sport he loves.

Schneider said what really separates Glacier Ice Arena from other ice arenas in the area is their ability to bring in elite players and coaches to their coaching staff.

“We’re pushing the envelope to really expose the kids in Illinois to the best,” Schneider said. Glacier Ice Arena draws as far out as the Gurnee, Grayslake, Wauconda, Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire areas, as well as the Vernon Hills, Libertyville and Mundelein areas. “… We’ve got great coaches and great staff all around.”

Among those coaches is Libor Ustrnul, who coaches children ages nine to 11, as well as 13- to 14-year-olds. He has been with Glacier Ice Arena for about five years.

Ustrnul has played hockey since he was a four-year-old in the Soviet Union. Although he retired due to an injury, he couldn’t stay away and turned to coaching.

“We really have a passion for hockey,” Ustrnul said of the Glacier coaching staff. “I wake up every day at five and look forward to stepping out there [on the ice].”

Ustrnul said while many players have high aspirations of going pro, he is realistic with them that it only happens for a few.

“Anything you do in your life, no matter what you do, if you have work ethic and put 100 percent into it, you’re going to get something out of it,” Ustrnul said. “… It’s work ethic. Wake up every morning and do something more than someone else is doing.”

The most important thing though, Ustrnul said, is to “have fun and love the sport.”