MOOSE JAW — A South Lake resident has built an intriguing skating rink on Buffalo Pound Lake to support his son’s dream of one day becoming an NHL goalie, and now plans to offer free training sessions for aspiring young goaltenders.
“So, it (started) during the COVID thing and we were missing out on lots of hockey,” said Dakota Kuntz, who built the rink for his son, Trip Kuntz.
“We always wanted (a rink) on the lake, and we’ve made one every year, but there’s so many kids that are without hockey so we’re just making it more accessible for the community and for my son to… make sure he was developing for when (the hockey season) started back up.
“Once we started, we named it the ‘Rink of Dreams,’ because his big dream is to make the NHL,” Kuntz said. Giving a name to the rink also helps share the word and grow it over time, he added.
Once established, the Rink of Dreams will include goalie training sessions and numerous free events focused on skill development. This is supported by a partnership with Kolter Mealing at the Blue Line Hockey Shop — a goaltender himself — who will be onsite to offer his professional skate sharpening services.
“We want to get more young kids out on the ice and kind of make our own goalie training, but make it free where people can come out, try ice fishing, learn some hockey stuff, and just make a fun day out of it,” said Kuntz.
The project not only allows Trip and his father to create something meaningful for the entire community, but also provides a great way for the father-son duo to bond over a shared love of the sport.
“My son absolutely loves hockey. He wants to be an NHL superstar, but he also loves coaching and sharing what he’s learned over time,” Kuntz said.
Trip now plays for the U15 AA Moose Jaw Warriors and has benefitted from mentorships and elite training opportunities provided by local coaches and the Moose Jaw Warriors Hockey Club. Now, he hopes to give back.
These events will “make sure that all the younger players are developing and learning stuff at a faster pace,” Kuntz shared. As well, he hopes to prevent younger players from getting discouraged over the cost and other challenges faced by new entrants to the sport.
“(We just want to) work on the little things that are going to keep them engaged in the game, and make sure that they’re having fun doing it, because it can be discouraging at times.”
The Rink of Dreams also complements two of Kuntz’ other enterprises, Life’s A Beach Rentals and the first convenience store at the village, The Lakeside Market. His rental business includes ice fishing shacks and children who find the pastime boring can pass some time on the rink.
“We love our community… and just want people to play hockey, be able to go find a drink or something to eat, and keep you at the lake as long as possible…,” Kuntz said.
The Lakeside Market is located at 1065 Tatanka Drive at Buffalo Pound’s South Lake and is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except for Wednesdays and statutory holidays.
Specific dates and times for the upcoming training sessions are yet to be determined and depend heavily on weather conditions.
To contact Dakota Kuntz or for more information about the Rink of Dreams or The Lakeside Market, call 306-630-4600, email [email protected], or visit ‘The Lakeside Market’ on Facebook.
You can follow Trip’s progress and learn about upcoming announcements by following ‘The TikTok Goalie’ on TikTok.
