SoKY’s Choice: SoKY Ice holding space for the game

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – On a winter night in downtown Bowling Green, the sounds feel slightly out of place: skates scraping ice, sticks tapping and laughter carrying into the cold air. Cars roll past, drivers slow down, and some do a double take. Hockey, it turns out, has found a home here, even if only for a season.

At the center of it all is SoKY Ice, an outdoor rink that, for a few months each winter, becomes a gathering place for players who otherwise might not have one.

For Allen Kolenovic, the ice offers more than a game. A former Little Flyers Juniors player, Kolenovic moved to Kentucky and is adjusting to life with a newborn at home.

“I haven’t been waiting all day, all week, for this,” he said, explaining that the rink gives him a chance to step away, even briefly. “It’s definitely my favorite sport.”

Kolenovic isn’t alone. On any given Saturday at open hockey night, players of different ages and backgrounds lace up together, united less by skill level than by opportunity.

Keeno Keys, a SoKY Ice participant who has played hockey across the country, said the Bowling Green rink stands out precisely because it exists where hockey is rare.

“I’ve lived a lot of places. I’ve played hockey in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, and this is the only place I’ve ever played outdoor hockey,” Keys said.

Keys noted that the closest permanent ice rinks are often an hour’s drive or more. SoKY Ice, by contrast, is minutes away.

“That’s the best part,” he said. “This is five minutes away.”

The convenience has turned Saturday nights into something of a ritual. Keys said he plans his schedule around the rink and has been counting down to the annual tournament on January 31st, an event that draws players who have waited months for their chance.

“When I moved down here, I found out that I had just missed it by like a week or two,” he said. “So I was like, next year I’m going to be here early, I’m going to be here often, and I’m going to make sure I’m here for the tournament.”

For younger players, the rink can be an introduction to a sport they might otherwise never play. Eighteen-year-old Aiden McAdoo said most of his hockey experience comes from roller rinks, not ice.

“This is like the only ice we play on,” McAdoo said. “You’ve got to go super far to play ice hockey.”

McAdoo said the scene has grown noticeably in recent years.

“Back in the day it was just me,” he said. “Now everybody shows up. More people are coming, and people bring other people here.”

Behind the scenes, Ryan Pattee, the lead ice technician, helps keep the surface playable despite fluctuating winter temperatures. He also joins the skaters himself, blending work and recreation in a way that reflects the rink’s communal feel.

Walter Connolly, 68, a hockey camp instructor and participant, said that sense of community is what keeps people coming back. Originally from New England, Connolly has seen hockey cultures across the country and believes the sport has a unique ability to connect people.

“The hockey community is a very warm, embracing community,” Connolly said. “People care about one another.”

The rink won’t last forever. When winter fades, the ice will melt, and the players will scatter again. But for now, in a place where hockey isn’t always easy to find, the game has carved out a small but meaningful space, one cold night at a time.