Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world. In Myrtle Beach. Many do not know that we have hockey, but we do. The Grand Strand Youth Hockey is in need of an ice rink. Presently, the teams practice at the Market Common Hockey Rink.
Commissioner Chris Mowder is in his third year running Grand Strand Youth Hockey, and he has been playing hockey since 1987. He has been coaching for seven years and feels that having an ice rink in the Myrtle Beach area would benefit Grand Strand residents for a variety of reasons.
First, because sports tourism is a huge industry for our area, adding an ice rink with multiple sheets of ice would allow the players to host hockey tournaments, figure skating competitions and curling events that could bring in tens of thousands of new visitors per year and drive millions of dollars in spending at local hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Also, it would allow locals – many of who have migrated to this area from the Midwest and Northeast – recreational activities such as open skates, ice shows and other events. Finally, it adds additional to sports for local youth groups including hockey, figure skating and curling.
“Hockey is a great sport because it’s fast and competitive and combines some of the best parts of other sports, including the physicality of football, the speed of ice skating and the skill and team play of sports like soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. There’s nothing like being on the ice, skating hard, making crisp passes and working with your team to score a goal,” stated Mowder. “Having an ice rink would give a stable, indoor location for the are league. It would surely increase the participation in the sport exponentially.”
Goalie Matt Nerborne has been playing goalie for GSYH since 2019. He has been playing hockey for nine years. Nerborne said that we definitely need an ice rink in Myrtle. It would give players a nice indoor place to play in during the heat of the summer or during rainy days. It would bring in revenue if it got used in the winter for tourists and locals for a Christmas skating.
“My favorite thing about hockey has to be building the relationships with your teammates and getting into a good flow with them,” explained Nerborne.
I play goalie for GSYH and I have been playing for 7 years. I love hockey because it is a mix of lacrosse and soccer. You can build relationships with your teammates. It’s just a great way to exercise and have fun at the same time.
The ice rink would benefit our community in the long run because it could lead to more ice rinks and more teams.
