Hi, I’m Ryan, founder and owner of Polar Bear Rinks, and this is our story.

The spirit of Polar Bear Rinks goes back to my childhood. My dad built a rink in our backyard for my siblings and I, and nobody took more pride in their rink than he did. He always said it was all about QOI, Quality of Ice.

Those rinks became the center of our winters. Countless hours were spent out in the cold, under the lights, playing action-packed games of hockey with family and friends. Beyond the game itself, my dad passed down to us a love for the tradition of building and caring for a rink.

Recently, my brothers and I recorded a podcast where we reflected on our childhood rink. The video below is a part of that conversation, and I think it captures the passion for backyard hockey that our dad instilled in us and the spirit of this company.

Now, as a father of four, I want to carry that tradition forward, teaching my kids the art of building backyard rinks and helping other families across Minnesota create the same memories I grew up with.

If you love backyard hockey like I do but don’t have the time (or desire!) to set up and take down your rink each year, we’d be happy to help.