It's not uncommon for people to take for granted the things they have in their home town.
The StateLine Ice and Community Expo is something that should not be taken for granted in Monroe. It is a facility that is envied by those in nearby communities. For a community the size of Monroe to have its own ice rink is not unique, but certainly unusual. In January, SLICE will celebrate its ninth anniversary in Monroe.
In Tuesday's edition of the Times we had another reminder of SLICE's value to Monroe in the story on the front page of the sports section about the launching of the semi-pro hockey team, the Monroe Icebreakers, this fall. The Wisconsin Junior Hockey League team will begin play in October. The team of players 15 to 20 years old will play a 60-game schedule, with 30 home games at SLICE, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays.
The league also has teams in Green Bay, Madison, Eau Claire, Wausau and Stoughton - most are cities with a much larger populations than Monroe. That, depending on the way you choose to look at it, is a testament to the growing interest in hockey in Monroe or presents an uphill challenge to sell the tickets necessary to make it a profitable and worthwhile venture for the league.
The Monroe Avalanche club hockey program continues to become one of the state's finest. Bringing the Monroe Icebreakers into SLICE not only gives the young, developing players of the Monroe area something to emulate and look up to, but also something entertaining for residents to do on weekends.
Hockey is a fast, exciting game. And while the skill levels of the Wisconsin Junior Hockey League games won't rival that of the NHL, the energy and enthusiasm for the game in the rink will. The price of tickets, $7, certainly presents a reasonable family entertainment option.
Will the Icebreakers be a success in Monroe? That remains to be seen. But we're glad to be welcoming them to town, and look forward to seeing you at the games.
The StateLine Ice and Community Expo is something that should not be taken for granted in Monroe. It is a facility that is envied by those in nearby communities. For a community the size of Monroe to have its own ice rink is not unique, but certainly unusual. In January, SLICE will celebrate its ninth anniversary in Monroe.
In Tuesday's edition of the Times we had another reminder of SLICE's value to Monroe in the story on the front page of the sports section about the launching of the semi-pro hockey team, the Monroe Icebreakers, this fall. The Wisconsin Junior Hockey League team will begin play in October. The team of players 15 to 20 years old will play a 60-game schedule, with 30 home games at SLICE, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays.
The league also has teams in Green Bay, Madison, Eau Claire, Wausau and Stoughton - most are cities with a much larger populations than Monroe. That, depending on the way you choose to look at it, is a testament to the growing interest in hockey in Monroe or presents an uphill challenge to sell the tickets necessary to make it a profitable and worthwhile venture for the league.
The Monroe Avalanche club hockey program continues to become one of the state's finest. Bringing the Monroe Icebreakers into SLICE not only gives the young, developing players of the Monroe area something to emulate and look up to, but also something entertaining for residents to do on weekends.
Hockey is a fast, exciting game. And while the skill levels of the Wisconsin Junior Hockey League games won't rival that of the NHL, the energy and enthusiasm for the game in the rink will. The price of tickets, $7, certainly presents a reasonable family entertainment option.
Will the Icebreakers be a success in Monroe? That remains to be seen. But we're glad to be welcoming them to town, and look forward to seeing you at the games.
