May 2025 / Issue 9

Congratulations to all of our Group Lesson, ASPIRE, and Unlimited Ice skaters on three SOLD OUT Spring Ice Show performances. Candid and Portrait photos from "Cruise the Crystal Seas" are available for purchase now from TLC Photography & Portraits. Links have been sent to show participants. Click here for ordering assistance.

Skating Is COOL In The Summer

You might not think of summer as a time to skate, but it's the perfect season to start or continue your skating journey! Not only is the temperature in the rink a welcome relief from the beating sun, but our classes offer a great option for physical activity in a temperature controlled environment. We offer a 20% multi-class discount and our class make-up policy makes it easy to work around family vacations. And don't forget the added value of your Summer VIP Card that can be used for 10 sessions of either Public Skate or Stick & Puck to sharpen skills outside of class.

Summer Elite Skills Starts June 9

Ready to elevate your game this summer? Join YJ for high-level skills sessions designed to push your skating, shooting, and physical play to the next level.

Open To:

• Squirts: 10:10–11:10 AM

• Peewees: 11:20–12:20 PM

• Bantams/Midgets: 12:30–1:30 PM

Goalies are FREE * limited spots

Cost (payment plans available):

• 1 week: $150

• 2 weeks: $275

• 3 weeks: $375

• 6 weeks: $695

Weekly Focus Areas:

Skating

• Weeks 1 & 4 (June 9, 11, 12 & July 8–10)

Shooting & Stickhandling

• Weeks 2 & 5 (June 16, 18, 19 & July 14, 16, 17)

Battle/Body Contact

• Weeks 3 & 6 (June 23, 25, 26 & July 28, 30, 31)

Space is limited. Sign up today to sharpen your skills, build confidence, and prepare to dominate the ice at fall tryouts!

Summer Full Ice 3v3 League

Join YJ for fast-paced, high energy 3v3 games promising to give your player tons of touches this summer. Eight weeks of action-packed hockey – including playoffs, a championship game, and consolation matchups – all begin June 2!

Divisions:

Squirts - Bantams

• $200 per player

• Teams formed from registration pool

• Request to play with up to 2 friends!

Midgets

• $200 individual / $1500 per team

• Register solo or bring your squad!

NEW: College Prep Division

• Open to 2006, 2005 & 2004 birth years

• $200 individual / $1500 team

• Great off-season fun while home from college or those working players who want a night out with friends!

Midgets & College Prep

• Pick your own team name

• Design your own jerseys

• Get creative, have fun, and bring the heat!

Gameplay Rules

• Full Ice 3v3

• 1-minute buzzer for line changes

• No offsides, no icing, no checking

• Refs at Bantam, Midget & College Prep levels

Get ready for tons of puck touches, open ice creativity, and serious fun.

Congratulations to our adult figure skaters who competed at the 2025 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships in Minnesota this April! Melissa placed 1st in the qualifying round and 2nd in the final round for Adult Bronze Women I; Cindy placed 1st in Adult Gold Women V and Adult Gold Lyrical Pop-Character -Comedic V Showcase. Well done!

Northwest Gold High School Figure Skating Team finished 1st of 27 teams in U.S. Figure Skating's Midwestern and Pacific Coast Sectional Final. Every member of the team played a part in this success, as individual events and team maneuvers scores all added points to the team total. In addition, Northwest Gold's High Team placed 1st in the 2025 Illinois High School Series and at the Final. Way to go!

Does your figure skater ASPIRE to a feature number in next year's Ice Show? The first step is our ASPIRE Ice! Come out for our first "Try Aspire For Free" where your figure skater can try TWO Aspire classes* and parents can chat with Skating Director Kim Johnson to learn how to make the jump from Learn to Skate to competitive figure skating. *Bring gym shoes for off-ice conditioning class

Facility Update

Crystal Ice House hosted many major events this spring. In April we welcomed the Women's Central Hockey League Playoffs and the CCM Chi-Town Shuffle to our ice. May was even busier with the Bonnie Vonder Haar Memorial Tournament and Glacier Invitational Tournament, another successful Spring Ice Show.

Group Lesson skaters "Cruise the Crystal Seas" Photo credit: TLC Photography & Portraits

In addition, this year Wagon Wheel FSC hosted its first (and hopefully annual) EXCEL Competition. To be the host site for a U.S. Figure Skating Competition, our West Rink was required to accommodate elevated judging stands temporarily in our hockey boxes. Personal thanks to all who lent a hand and a hammer to this effort in May. Competition officials were very complimentary of the effort and structure!

West Rink transformed for the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Excel Series. CIH skater Emma performs while officials observe from new judging stands. Photo credit: TLC Photography & Portraits

If you have watched a game or practice on our East and Far East rinks, you may have noticed an exciting improvement. Newly installed Yellowjackets and Stingers stickers now adorn the far corner glass, making a visual statement and creating an impact for our home teams.

New signage on East and Far East showcases our home teams.

For those who frequent our lobby space, new seating has upgraded our appearance thanks to those who have attended our Dine & Share events over the last year. We will continue to hold Dine & Share events in the next year in hopes of further improving our lobby space.

Dine & Share proceeds fund lobby seating upgrade.

In order to provide quality ice all year long, our three rinks will be down at various times for maintenance. Programming should not be impacted, but be sure to check our web site and boards as the summer progresses.

Finally thank you to all who keep our Ice Resurfacer Fund top of mind in your 2025 giving plans. We are grateful for your generosity and continued support. We have recently added an option for businesses interested in advertising on 1, 2 or all 3 of our resurfacers. Please spread the word and reach out if you or someone you know would be interested in this highly visible opportunity.

David Lichterman

General Manager

Make A Gift

Spirit Wear Shops

You can order Crystal Ice House gear to be shipped direct to your home - great on the ice AND around town! LAST CHANCE to order "Sail the Crystal Seas" Ice Show merch - items will disappear from the shop on 6/1!

Get YJ apparel shipped direct from Squadlocker.

LiveBarn is now showing in the Time Out Tap for all 3 rinks so you don't miss a minute of the on-ice action. Summer hours will align with Crystal Ice House programming. See you at the Time Out Tap!

Live Barn allows you to watch events at the Crystal Ice House and many other facilities throughout the country. Save 10% when you sign up with code: 050d-330d

Thank You To Our Advertisers!

Every advertising spot at Crystal Ice House helps us keep ice affordable in our community. Please show our advertisers support around town!

Portillo's

Raising Cane's

Crystal Lake Stingers

Rookies

Wagon Wheel FSC

Summer Moon Coffee

The Woodstock Independent

Encore Memory Care

Mabel Hanson CLTC, Registered Representative and Insurance Agent with New York Life

At Crystal Ice House, advertising is more than a billboard. We offer lobby table set-ups, social media shoutouts, and opportunities be a part of our community events. Thank you to Summer Moon Coffee for providing hot and cold coffee at our Sunday Ice Show performance on May 18!

Learn to Play Hockey for Adults

Sticks & Stones is offering Learn to Play Hockey Instructional class this summer for adults 18+ who have little of no formal hockey/skating experience. New skaters, people who have never played hockey, and current members of the SSHL are all welcome. Click here for more information and to register.

Lessons for all ages start next week. Click the First Day sign to enroll today!

Have the "Inside Edge" on a skating story? Click here to send us an email!

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5/26/25 - 6/7/25 - Far East Rink down for maintenance

5/31/25 - Try Aspire For Free (registration required)

6/1/25 - Start of Summer schedule for Public Sessions

6/1/25 - Summer Unlimited & ASPIRE Camp hours begin

6/2/25 - 8/6/25 - Summer Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

6/2/25 - Yellowjackets Full Ice 3V3 begins

6/6/25 - WWFSC Test Session

6/9/25 - Yellowjackets Summer Elite Skills begins

6/9/25 - Stingers Summer Skills begins

6/24/25 - 7/6/25 - West Rink down for maintenance

8/5/25 - 8/19/25 - East Rink down for maintenance

8/9/25 - Yellowjackets "Drop the Puck" Event

8/10/25 - 8/16/25 - Yellowjackets "Warm Up Skates" begin

8/11/25 - WWFSC Test Session

8/17/25 - 8/22/25 - Yellowjackets Tryouts begin

8/17/25 - Start of Fall through Spring schedule for Public Sessions

8/17/25 - Unlimited / ASPIRE Ice Fall schedule begins

8/18/25 - 8/22/25 - Fall Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

8/31/25 - 9/1/25 - Closed for Labor Day

10/3/25 - WWFSC Test Session

11/7/25 - 11/9/25 - CCM Tournament

11/23/25 - Holiday Exhibition (tentative)

12/1/25 - 3/7/26 - Winter Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

12/5/25 - WWFSC Test Session

We’re not your average ice arena! Most rinks in our area are owned by corporations or park districts. Crystal Ice House is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fire Wagon Hockey, Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Fire Wagon purchased the Crystal Ice House in 2011 from its original owner to further our mission to make ice sports accessible in our community. As the only ice arena in McHenry County, we hope you feel welcome every time you set foot inside our facility. You’re part of the family!

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