Frozen Apple X – Insurance Hockey Zen!
This year’s rendition of the Frozen Apple was a beauty! Attendance was up, with 36 players participating and lots of fans there to support us! We continue to get new and enthusiastic players which keeps the regulars on their toes!
Another year with Lasker Rink in Central Park under construction, so we were back at the cozy confines of Sky Rink at Chelsea Pier. This year’s teams were:
The Mound Cotton Marys
And
The Sedgwick Alices (who were making their Frozen Apple debut!).
In one of the most competitive games in Frozen Apple history, the Sedgwick Alices beat the Mound Cotton Marys 6-3. The score doesn’t tell the whole story as this was a one-goal game well into the second period, with the Alices tying it up in the second and then pulling ahead late to secure the win. Special kudos go out to the game MVP – Joel Maxwell. A true stalwart in net this year – he kept the Alices in it until they were able to come back and pull ahead. Congrats to the Sedgwick Alices on their inaugural Lasker Cup victory!! Take good care of the Cup and be prepared to defend your title in 2025!
We had some amazing sponsors this year. These companies deserve a tremendous amount of gratitude and appreciation. Without their support, this event doesn’t happen. This year’s sponsors were:
Team sponsors –Sedgwick and Mound Cotton Wollen and Greengrass
Ice Time sponsors –Vogrin & Frimet, LLP, MDD, McLarens, United Salvage Associates, and DBI
Score Keeper and Referees - McLarens
Hockey Pucks – Vogrin & Frimet, LLP
Towel and Bag Handouts – Cozen O’Connor
Bar Night Sponsors – Kennedy’s CMK, Cozen O’Connor, Esquire Solutions, Vogrin & Frimet, LLP
A special thank you goes out to Marguerite Hart (MDD) for her hours of help and Carter Reich for his assistance in pulling this all together. The games were followed by another great bar night at Mudville 9, where we packed the house with our players and supporters! There were some great raffle items (highlighted by a Team Signed Islanders Jersey and a Boomer Esiason signed football), a lot of war stories, and lots of cheer to go around. It’s safe to say there was plenty of bonding going on over some wings and beer!
This year we raised $10,154.86 for IHIH. Well done everyone! Thank you for your contributions and support. Ice Hockey In Harlem is thrilled and will put it all to good use. To understand how money raised is used by IHIH, Malik Garvin, Executive Director of IHIH, shared the following as he could not attend our event this year:
This past MLK weekend we spent 4 days and 3 nights in Michigan with our 18U team consisting of 10 boys, 8 girls, and were joined by 7 parents and 7 IHIH coaches. The first ever Motor City Tour was designed to broaden horizons and teach life lessons and skills, in alignment with our mission. The trip featured outdoor hockey, guest speaker Rico Phillips, and we were joined on the ice by players from the University of Michigan's mens and womens ice hockey teams before watching a women's game at Yost Arena. We skated in Detroit at the Clark Park Coalition with their local youth and the trip was in coordination with Clark Park, Urban Hockey Foundation, Michigan Amateur Hockey Association, Detroit Sports Commission, Visit Detroit, and Detroit PAL. It was a pleasure meeting those of you who attended last year and I look forward to seeing you all in the future! My words do not do justice to the impact this trip had on each and every person involved. By supporting Ice Hockey In Harlem you continue to provide priceless opportunities for dedicated and deserving youth who would not otherwise have access to these opportunities. Please see the news clip and article below for full details on our recent initiative.
Detroit, Michigan Trip MLK Weekend 2024: IHIH on Detroit, Michigan News wxyz.com/news/in-honor-of-mlk-day-the-clark-park-coalition-teams-up-with-ice-hockey-of-harlem
Detroit, Michigan Trip MLK Weekend 2024 (Article): The Big Apple To Motor City Tour article carnegieinitiative.com/big-apple-to-motor-city-tour-a-major-success
We can’t stress how much our funds are appreciated and put to good use. To be able to give back to the hockey community, which clearly has been a big part of all of our lives, is a special honor.
Thank you to all those who participated and for the continued support of our little hockey game. Keep an eye out for emails about the next installment of the Frozen Apple in 2025.
Game on,
Five Hole