Ice Rink Ready for Fall Season

Gary Cremen understands hockey better than most people. He loves the game, having played it for a long time while growing up, and still remains on the ice now as an adult.          

Cremen is the general manager of the Piney Orchard Ice Arena in Odenton. But he also plays in the very popular adult hockey leagues that take place there year-round.            

The summer A league has the Pirates, the team that Cremen plays on. He's a defenseman now, after having played both defense and forward in his growing-up days.           

 "The [league] usually has guys who've been out there for a long time," Cremen said. "You don't see a whole lot of beginners."            

The spring/summer season will be ending in about a week or so. After that comes the fall/winter leagues, which play at very interesting times—especially for people who work full-time jobs.            

Games are played seven nights a week, starting in the middle of October. They go from 10:10 p.m. until about 11:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday nights. On Sundays, games are played from about 4:10 until 11:30 p.m.

These leagues have players starting at age 18. Cremen said the league has some adults who are in their mid-50s to the early 60s.            

The teams play on four different levels and form their own rosters. In other words, the players in the leagues don't change teams every year.           

This season will start in mid-October and should run until mid- or late May.           Cremen also said that some adults begin playing the game after watching their children have fun with it. The newcomers mix in with people like him who've played hockey for a very long time.            

"These guys play year-round," Cremen said. "It's the same guys. We just roll one season into the next."