BREWER — On the night before Christmas Eve, a time usually reserved for last-minute Christmas shopping, there are 26 men and women at the Penobscot Ice Arena in Brewer.
Whether their shopping is done or not, they are taking a night out of their busy schedules to play hockey.
And they are having the time of their lives.
They come in all ages and most of them had never played the sport.
But the opportunity to learn and play the sport became a reality two years ago and they have have taken advantage of that opportunity.
That’s when John Duff, who was leasing the rink, decided to begin a program for people who wanted to learn how to play hockey.
Enter Jon Davis.
“(Duff) came to me and asked me if I’d (run the program),” said Davis. “I said ‘Sure.’ I’d done everything else in hockey.”
The players come to the arena every Tuesday night at 8:30 for a two-hour session. The first hour is comprised of instruction and the second hour involves scrimmaging.
Earlier this month, the program added games on Monday and Thursday evenings at 9:40 p.m.
Plymouth’s Ted Porter helps Davis and acts as the skating instructor.
“Ted does a phenomenal job,” said Davis. “He’ll take people who can’t stand up on skates and, within a couple of weeks, they’ll be competitive.”
“It’s a real thrill to watch guys who couldn’t stop (initially) go out a week later and do hockey stops,” said Porter.
The program has flourished.
“It just took off,” said Davis. “I thought we’d wind up having eight, nine or 10 guys. But we’ve averaged 20-25 and we’ve had as many as 40. So we’ve decided to start a league.”
Davis said not all of the players are novices.
He has skaters who do have previous hockey experience “who want to get back into shape.”
When they scrimmage, the experienced players act like instructors and rarely shoot the puck.
“This is a great opportunity for them to get back into it and help out the other guys. And they’ve been very good about it,” said Davis.
It costs $15 for the two-hour sessions on Tuesday nights and $10 to play on Monday or Thursday nights.
Players need to have a full face shield and supply their own equipment. The only optional piece of equipment is shoulder pads because it’s a nonchecking league.
Davis and Porter said Rick Gunn of Gunn’s Sporting Goods has been very helpful supplying equipment to the players for reasonable prices and rink manager Mike Kane and his staff have been very accommodating.
Those interested in joining can just show up or call Kane at the rink (989-7183).
Several players have moved on to more advanced leagues.
Crocker Nevin had never played hockey, but when he bought a home in Brooklin, he noticed that the pond across the street was inundated with hockey.
“Hockey seemed like a nice local outdoor sport. So when I heard about the league, I thought it would be nice to get started,” said Nevin. “It has helped my fundamentals. I enjoy it. It has been even more fun than I thought it was going to be in some ways.”
Dedham’s Hartley Webb had never played hockey, but when his son, Kyle, began playing at age 4, his interest grew.
He said he was a “typical hockey parent” who figured he knew the game. But his son recommended that he learn how to play.
“I have a different perspective now. I’ve learned about a lot of the things I used to holler at him. I’ve discovered that when the puck is between your feet, it isn’t as easy to get to it as I thought it was,” said Webb with a hearty laugh.
Now Webb is hooked on hockey.
He gave himself “over two months” to learn how to skate and he surprised himself by being able to keep up with everybody after two months.
“Now I skate three times a week and if I could do it five nights a week, I would. I love it,” said Webb.
“It has added an extra 10 years to my life. It’s the only exercise I get except golf,” said Webb.
“Instead of going to the gym, I come here,” said Bangor’s Mike Griggs. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Orono’s Dave Miller played nine years of hockey but hadn’t played in more than 20 years.
When he began coaching his son, Isaac, it “reminded me how much I really enjoy the sport.”
So he sought out a program “and I stumbled upon this.”
“It has been great. Jon’s a good coach. I’ve definitely learned a lot from him,” said Miller.
“Jon does an awesome job. He keeps it simple. He makes sure he gives us stuff we should be concentrating on,” concurred Orrington’s Ron Tozier, who encouraged his sister, Tammie Doughty, to join the league.
She finally found time to play.
“I’m a hockey mom. I have two kids, Candace and Charles, who play,” said Tammie. “I knew how to play the game but didn’t have enough skill to play. But I’ve improved a lot. I can actually stand up and shoot the puck now.
“And it’s an excellent workout,” she said.
Now her son gives her pointers like “showing me how to do a slap shot.”
Friends Justin Harmon from Ellsworth and Michael Valliere from Frankfort decided to do it together and they’re glad they did.
“It has been addictive. I get really bummed on the days I can’t make it,” said Harmon.
Matt Kozenow has returned to the state after living in Colorado.
“My youngest brother, Andrew, played for the Maine Freeze (junior team),” said Kozenow. He had skated “maybe twice in my life” but decided to give it a shot and splits time between goalie and skater.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Kozenow, who has another brother, Craig, who also plays.
Porter has two sons who play, Benjamin and Ethan. Ethan is a goalie.
Porter said he wanted 18-year-old Ethan to get some exercise, and when his son showed interest in hockey, he brought him into the program.
“(Davis) encouraged him and all the guys encouraged him,” said Ted Porter. “That lifted him up, so he works at it and, once in a while, he’ll go play for my brother’s team in Boston against former college players. It’s real high-paced hockey. It’s a great experience for him.
“Hockey has been good for his brain as well as his body,” said Ted.