Frozen Fenway unforgettable

0 Comments | Telegraph – Herald; Dubuque, Iowa, Jan 14, 2010 | by Jim Leitner

Meredith Roth would hate to calculate how much time, energy and financial resources her parents invested in the family’s athletic endeavors.

Jim and Jacquie Roth’s six children always seemed to need a ride to practice, a new glove or skates or a little understanding when a puck dented the garage door beyond repair.

So, when Meredith – a fourth-year assistant women’s hockey coach at Providence College – learned of an opportunity to skate at Fenway Park, she immediately thought of her father, who still plays adult recreational hockey in Dubuque.

“I feel so blessed to have had the opportunities I’ve had, and it’s all because of the sacrifices my mom and dad made for us while we were growing up,” said Meredith Roth, who played at Providence and graduated in 2004.

“Even though Dad’s a big Yankees fan, he has such an appreciation for sports. The whole time we were there, he had this big ear-to- ear smile on his face. It meant a lot to me to be able to share the experience with him.”

Hockey East, which includes Providence, offered its member teams an opportunity to skate at the site of the NHL’s New Year’s Day Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers. Several coaches from the league, which includes 10 men’s and eight women’s teams, brought their families to the reception and skating session.

Since the Classic, Fenway has hosted high school and prep school hockey games, a Hockey East men’s/women’s doubleheader, even recreational teams interested in a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a $250-per-player price tag.

“I’d been to a few games there, and I’ve seen it a lot on TV, but you never dream about getting a chance to skate at Fenway Park,” said Jim Roth, a Dubuque attorney. “There’s so much history there. It’s kind of surreal to be skating around the infield and looking up to see the Green Monster, Pesky’s Pole, the red seat out in the bleachers where Ted Williams hit his (502-foot) home run (in 1946) . . .

“Hockey East did a really nice job with the whole event. Everything was first class. It’s definitely something I’ll never forget.”

The quality of the ice somewhat surprised Jim.

“You really don’t get that many chances to skate outside anymore,” he said. “The ice was just about perfect . . . not at all what you’d expect from outdoor ice. But, I guess if they’re going to play an NHL game and a couple of Division I games there, it’s going to be a lot better than your typical outdoor ice.”

Meredith Roth paused to take a seat in a familiar spot – the penalty box. She graduated as the Friars’ all-time penalty minute leader; the record has since been broken.

“Fenway’s such a unique place. It’s a place you have to visit to really understand,” Meredith Roth said. “It’s a small park, but there’s always so much electricity in the air
garage door repair