Fulfilling A Hockey Dream

One little guy's wish became Sport Resource Group's command: Build a backyard, all-weather ice rink.

On Saturday, April 28, Will Schrader, a 3-year-old leukemia survivor from New York, walked out his back door and skated onto a 28-foot-long, 20-foot-wide synthetic ice rink with ProWall boards surrounding the surface.

“Will’s rink was the very first hockey rink Make-A-Wish Central New York had ever granted, so the process was a little intimidating," said Olivia Colabufo, the charity's manager of program services.

"Sport Resource Group came highly recommended. Chris and the team were wonderful to work with. They spoke directly with our synthetic ice supplier, which made ordering the boards easy.

"The directions were easy to follow. A group of volunteers easily put the entire rink together. Sport Resource Group helped make Will’s wish come true,” she said.

Will was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia when he was nine months old. After several rounds of treatment that included chemotherapy, total body radiation and a bone marrow transplant, Will has been in remission for nearly one year.

An avid Boston Bruins fan, Will wore his Boston Bruins jersey for the ribbon-cutting and was all smiles as his friends and family cheered him on.

Skating lessons started this past winter, and now he has his own year-round ice rink.

ProWall is a rotationally molded plastic dasherboard system customized for hockey, lacrosse, soccer, football and other enclosed sport activities. ProWall can be designed for permanent or portable applications and can host a variety of upper containment options.

For any further inquiries or questions about ProWall or Sport Resource Group, visit www.sportresourcegroup.com .