
Shrewsbury students can ice skate during their physical education classes. (Photo/Evan Walsh)
SHREWSBURY – They may have just come from an English exam, or they might have a chemistry lab next period, but during physical education class, Shrewsbury High School (SHS) students have the option to lace up their skates and head outdoors to the school’s newly constructed, on-campus ice rink.
From first-time skaters to hockey phenoms, everyone’s spending time on the ice.
“It’s awesome. It’s a nice opportunity to take your mind off of school,” said junior Isaac Diaz.
“Thank you to the physical education teachers for doing this, because it takes a lot of work and time,” said senior Aiden Gardner, who had spent the last 30 minutes skating around the rink with Diaz. “It’s nice to come outside and skate around. It’s a nice break in the day for students.”
Constructed on one of SHS’s outdoor basketball courts, the rink has been set up for students annually since 2012, though weather in certain years limited its use. The rink requires maintenance, including treating the surface and shoveling off excess snow.
It’s all a labor of love for the Physical Education Department.
“The first step is just getting everything out of the storage closet, and that’s a lot of equipment, so that takes a half-day almost, just to get everything out there. Then you’ve got to build the walls, you have to get the liner out, wait for good conditions. We’ve learned over the years we need to create a bracing system. You need to get sandbags out there. It’s a process,” said Physical Education Teacher Matthew Wheeler.
“There are some rough years with the rink where it doesn’t freeze and you get really discouraged. It’s a big team effort, you put all this work into it, and it’s like a swimming pool. But, across the board, something like skating is really a highlight for the kids,” said fellow Physical Education Teacher Kurt Gustafson.
The ice rink is one of a handful of unique programs SHS offers. With the help of a recent Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant, the department has introduced students to archery, bicycling, snowshoeing, and belaying.
“I’ve seen kids grow within a class period — kids that haven’t skated at all. We have the supports for the beginner skaters to brace themselves on. They’ve never been out skating before, but by the end, they’re ditching the chairs. They’re getting more comfortable,” said Physical Education Teacher Ian Butterfield.
The winter activities in particular have an added bonus. The Physical Education Department is teaching students that there are still plenty of ways to get active outdoors on cold winter days.
“I think it’s an opportunity for them to get outside into fresh air, and for many of them, this is a brand new skill. The fact that they can try it, they can be out there, they can practice — it’s a good way to break up the day, it’s a good new skill. It’s a way for kids to embrace the outdoors,” said Physical Education Department Director Erica Pratt. “Over the course of a student’s four years, there are so many activities. Students may gravitate toward one activity or the other, but they get to try all of them.”