A Day In The Life...
Here is a "day in the life" of a Zamboni driver on a typical game day.
09:00 - Arrive at arena. Ice was done last night but has a fine layer of frost. Fill Zamboni with water and do a safety check, check fluids, etc. Apply a flood coat to the ice by just dragging the towell with water running.
10:00 - Home team takes the ice for pre-game skate. It is usually a light skate. Warming up and doing some skating drills, warming up the goalies, etc.
11:00 - Home team off ice, do a regular resurfacing.
11:15 - Visitors pre-game skate.
12:15 - Visitors off ice, time to prepare the ice for the game. This might involve some dry shaving, or flooding, or some combination. Try to finish by 3:00 so it has plenty of time to set up and harden.
3:00 - Wash Zamboni, clean and shine the tires. Then kill time on any maintenance chores, etc. Fill back-up Zamboni with water, warm up the engine; check oil and fluids in both machines.
6:00 - Final pre-game ice cut. Light shave only to maintain full depth but take out any ridges left by flooding. Then nets on the ice.
6:30 - Doors open to the public. Hopefully partake in a pre-game meal.
6:55 - Fill Zamboni with water in preparation for the ice cut after warmups.
7:10 - Regular resurfacing. Then dump snow, clear snow from conditioner. Get back in time to observe the National Anthem.
5 minutes left in first period - go fill Zamboni with how water, wait for intermission promotions, then resurface.
5 minutes left in second period, same routine. After resurfacing, dump water from backup Zamboni. Depending on post-game needs, prep main Zamboni (dump water is only dry shave is needed).
If overtime, be ready for possible shootout resurfacing, 4 dry shave passes down the middle of the ice.
After game, 10:00 or so, final cut. Clock out. Drive home, crash in bed. Well hopefully. If there is a changeover for another show, the full time staff often have to pull an all-nighter to cover the ice in Pro-Deck, build a stage, etc before the show loads in.
Fortunately for me, being part-time, I have the advantage of being able to leave (sometimes after the seconf intermission cut).
Hats Off to the full-timers, sometimes the Operations Manager does not leave the building for 48 hours or more!
09:00 - Arrive at arena. Ice was done last night but has a fine layer of frost. Fill Zamboni with water and do a safety check, check fluids, etc. Apply a flood coat to the ice by just dragging the towell with water running.
10:00 - Home team takes the ice for pre-game skate. It is usually a light skate. Warming up and doing some skating drills, warming up the goalies, etc.
11:00 - Home team off ice, do a regular resurfacing.
11:15 - Visitors pre-game skate.
12:15 - Visitors off ice, time to prepare the ice for the game. This might involve some dry shaving, or flooding, or some combination. Try to finish by 3:00 so it has plenty of time to set up and harden.
3:00 - Wash Zamboni, clean and shine the tires. Then kill time on any maintenance chores, etc. Fill back-up Zamboni with water, warm up the engine; check oil and fluids in both machines.
6:00 - Final pre-game ice cut. Light shave only to maintain full depth but take out any ridges left by flooding. Then nets on the ice.
6:30 - Doors open to the public. Hopefully partake in a pre-game meal.
6:55 - Fill Zamboni with water in preparation for the ice cut after warmups.
7:10 - Regular resurfacing. Then dump snow, clear snow from conditioner. Get back in time to observe the National Anthem.
5 minutes left in first period - go fill Zamboni with how water, wait for intermission promotions, then resurface.
5 minutes left in second period, same routine. After resurfacing, dump water from backup Zamboni. Depending on post-game needs, prep main Zamboni (dump water is only dry shave is needed).
If overtime, be ready for possible shootout resurfacing, 4 dry shave passes down the middle of the ice.
After game, 10:00 or so, final cut. Clock out. Drive home, crash in bed. Well hopefully. If there is a changeover for another show, the full time staff often have to pull an all-nighter to cover the ice in Pro-Deck, build a stage, etc before the show loads in.
Fortunately for me, being part-time, I have the advantage of being able to leave (sometimes after the seconf intermission cut).
Hats Off to the full-timers, sometimes the Operations Manager does not leave the building for 48 hours or more!
posted by Guido at 5:31 PM
1 Comments:
I must say that I never knew so much was involved! Thanks for all that you (and Zamboni drivers everywhere) do to keep the ice in great shape so we can all enjoy the great sport of hockey! :)
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