Parks Department hosts Willie O’Ree Street Hockey Clinic Series

The Willie O’Ree Street Hockey Clinic Series is for boys and girls ages 12 and under. It will take place at five Boston parks. Learn or hone your street hockey skills at these free clinics featuring giveaways with all equipment provided. All clinics begin at 3:00 p.m.

Dates and locations are as follows:

Wednesday, August 4

Smith Playground

235 Western Avenue, Allston

Tuesday, August 10

Marcella Playground

260 Highland Street, Roxbury

Tuesday, August 17

DeFilippo Playground

135 Prince Street, North End 

Tuesday, August 24

Noyes Playground

86 Boardman Street, East Boston

Tuesday, August 31

Almont Park

40 Almont Street, Mattapan

To register, call Damien Margardo at (617) 961-3083 or email damien.margardo@boston.gov, or Mavrick Afonso at (617) 961-3039 or mavrick.afonso@boston.gov.

The rink at Smith Playground is named in Willie O’Ree’s honor. The first Black player in the NHL, O’Ree was recently named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hailing from New Brunswick, Canada, he became the first Black player to compete in the National Hockey League when he took the ice for the Boston Bruins on January 18, 1958.  Despite losing the sight in his right eye at a young age, O’Ree went on to play professional hockey for 21 years.