June 2026 / Issue 13

Our Learn to Skate USA Group Lessons are in full swing, and we've got room for YOU! JUMP in this week and start achieving your GOALS while enjoying our Summer Session at a prorated price. Every Group Lesson skater receives our unique VIP Skate Card that offers 12 Summer Sessions at Public Skate or Stick & Puck. That's a value of $84-$144 per session all because we know that routine practice is key to success, no matter which ice sport you pursue.

Our Spring Ice Show was a sold out success thanks to the skaters, coaches, and families who came out to support it all! TLC Photography and Portraits digital galleries are still available for you to peruse to relive your Ice Show 2026 experience with digital downloads of candid photos from all three shows. Links have been sent to all show skaters. If you missed the email, you can always reach out to TLC Photography for access to the galleries. The Chicago Star Productions Ice Show video link is still available, too, so you can relive the road trip for years to come.

Yellowjackets received another birth year CSDHL Team for this coming season! Central States represents the #1 Tier 2 Hockey League in the United States, and birth year teams are the top level of league play. The 2017s are joining the path to excellence YJ's 2015s (2nd in league 2026) and 2016s (2026 State Champions) have forged - well done! Look out for ID Skates for all YJ teams beginning in July.

It's already jersey fitting time for YJ teams. This first fitting day is especially important for birth year teams, as they will be participating in an early fall tournament. The Club will be unveiling ALL-NEW uniforms for the 2027-28 season, so keep this in mind when deciding to size up for this fall's uniform order. For more information, visit www.firewagonhockey.com.

Summer is time to build skills, and Yellowjacket Hockey has a variety of options to help your hockey player prepare for Fall Tryouts. From Summer Hockey Training, to Elite Summer Camp, to the 3v3 Summer League, many summer offerings are still enrolling. For more information, please visit firewagonhockey.com or reach out directly to Hockey Director Steve Martins.

YJ SUMMER PROGRAM REGISTRATION

Did your skater enjoy watching or participating in the Learn Synchro / Infinity Syncho numbers in the Spring Ice Show? Synchro Summer Skills is coming this July, and it could be the perfect mid-summer activity to explore synchronized skating with Infinity Synchro coaches Lora and Courtney. Sign up today!

SYNCHRO SUMMER SKILLS REGISTRATION

Cindy Crouse did it again, placing 1st in both of her events at U.S. Figure Skating's U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships in Duluth, Georgia this past April. If you've attended our Adult Skates in the past or saw her perform in the Spring Ice Show, you know that Cindy is an inspiration to our adult and youth skating communities. Way to go, Cindy!

It was a busy Spring Season for YJ teams this year!

In their first tournaments as Squirts, the 2017s took 2nd place at the CCM Chitown Shuffle in April (above) and 2nd place at the Battle on the Border Tournament (below).

Bantam 2 took 2nd place at MyHockey Tournaments Chicago Spring Fling (above).

The 2015s delivered an unforgettable Championship Sunday at the Windy City Rumble with an 8-0 semi-final shutout over Mission AAA 2016s, followed by a double overtime shootout loss to Team Illinois AAA 2016s - a respectable 2nd place finish in the AAA division (above). They also took 2nd place in the Wilmette Showcase in May.

Squirt 1 took first place in the Battle on the Border Tournament (above) with a late game equalizer and a game winning goal with 24 seconds left. They also took first place at the 2026 Glacier Invitational (below) - what a spring!

Stingers 3 took home gold on home ice at the Bonnie Vonder Haar Memorial Tournament (above).

Stingers 1 are your 2026 UHT Deep Dish Cup Champions (above).

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

Thinking about enrolling in Group Lessons? Check out this Learn to Skate USA orientation video that provides all you need to know to started!

Facility Update

All winter long we shared the tagline "Olympic Dreams Start Here", and it came full circle in May when Crystal Ice House volunteered at Stars on Ice at the Allstate Arena in May. With much of the Olympic team performing for a sold out audience, we were one of two area programs present spreading the word about Learn to Skate USA in Chicagoland.

This spring brought more big events to the Ice House. We hosted the Bonnie Vonder Haar Memorial Tournament and the Wagon Wheel Excel Competition, as well as our Annual Spring Ice Show. All were a resounding success, and a great opportunity for our skaters to compete and perform on home ice.

Locker room renovations continue to take shape, with ceiling, lighting, and ventilation upgrades underway in the West Locker Room hallway. Fresh paint and refurbished benches will follow later this summer.

We are still raising money from families and friends of the Ice House in support of Firewagon Hockey's Ice Resurfacer Fund. If you can find a way to include us in your 2026 giving plans, we would greatly appreciate it. Together we can make a difference.

Finally, we want to commend our staff on their vigilance and care to safeguard our mission to be a family friendly environment for patrons of all ages. Their attention to guest behavior, along with the guidance and decisive action of the Crystal Lake Police Department, ensured the safety of our customers this June. We are incredibly proud of their conduct.

We ask that you please support our staff when they ask for your cooperation. It is difficult to ask guests to refrain from throwing or stickhandling balls indoors, rough housing, climbing trees, or playing on roadways and adjacent properties. However, these requests are always made with the goal of keeping all customers safe.

We encourage you to immediately alert our staff if you encounter anything out of the ordinary or that could result in a safety issue. Remember, if you see something, say something. We appreciate your cooperation.

David Lichterman

General Manager

Make A Gift

Hockey skaters taking private lessons with a Coach can now pay for their ice time in advance and ONLINE. This is the preferred method of payment. Simply visit our web site and click REGISTER and choose "Private Hockey Ice Working with a Coach" for the specific date needed.

Private hockey ice is available in half hour increments at $14 per half hour. Contact the Rink Office for information on pros who offer private hockey lessons.

Live Barn allows you to watch events at the Crystal Ice House and many other facilities throughout the country. It provides a great opportunity for relatives who can't attend in person to watch their loved ones skate. 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

The Woodstock Independent

Encore Memory Care

Sticks & Stones Hockey League

Pro Stock Hockey

Jason the Mason

Karina Hiselman - Realtor

We are thrilled to welcome skating parent and adult skater Karina Hiselman of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services to our arena walls. Contact Karina for all your real estate needs!

At Crystal Ice House, advertising is more than a billboard. We offer lobby table set-ups, social media shoutouts, and opportunities for advertisers to be a part of our community events. When you advertise with us, you're part of the family. Reach out today to get started!

Spirit Wear Shops

Tell your friends at Chicagoland hockey clubs that Yellowjackets are hosting the 1st Annual Camp Crystal Lake Tournament October 23-25, 2026! Scare up some teams, encourage them to register online, and be ready to come out and cheer for your favorite black and yellow teams.

6/1/26 - 8/12/26 - Summer Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

7/3/26 - 7/5/26 - Closed for 4th of July

7/6/26 - Yellowjackets Fall Packet Released

7/23/26 - Yellowjackets Jersey Fitting @ Jerry's 5:00-7:00pm

8/9/26 - Yellowjackets "Drop the Puck" Event

8/9/26 - 8/14/26 - Yellowjackets Warm Up Skates

8/10/26 - WWFSC Test Session

8/15/26 - 8/22/26 - Yellowjackets Try Outs

8/17/26 - School Year Hours Begin for Unlimited / ASPIRE / Public Sessions

8/24/26 - 11/21/26 - Fall Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

9/6/26 - 9/7/26 - Closed for Labor Day

10/12/26 - WWFSC Test Session

10/23/26 - 10/25/26 - Camp Crystal Lake Tournament

11/6/26 - 11/8/26 - CCM World Invite

11/22/26 - Holiday Exhibition

11/26/26 - Closed for Thanksgiving Day

11/30/26 - 3/6/27 - Winter Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

12/4/26 - WWFSC Test Session

12/24/26 - 12/25/26 - Closed for Christmas

1/1/27 - Closed for New Years

2/17/27 - Ice Show Tryouts

3/8/27 - 5/20/27 - Spring Group Lesson Session (we prorate for missed classes)

3/28/27 - Closed for Easter

5/21/27 - 5/23/27 - Spring Ice Show

5/29/27 - 5/31/27 - Closed for Memorial Day Weekend

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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