Over the years black ice has developed a number of traditions that make the season more special and fun. Here are some of the traditions that have been passed down from year to year.

TRADITIONS

Rookie Welcome Weekend An over-night cottage get-together to welcome the rookies and bond the team.

Secret Buddies Each skater is given, at random, a secret buddy to whom they will deliver special gifts of encouragement throughout the year. Before the last skate of the season, the secret buddies are revealed at a lunch ceremony.

black ice Heel Plate black ice was the first team to wear a heel plate bearing the team logo. The newly designed heel plate features a raised black ice logo and is placed on the left skate heel.

Family and Friends Christmas Skating Party A fun holiday party in which family and friends get to step off the sidelines and join the team on the ice.

Canadian Championship Send-off Family, friends and alumni show their support for the team by attending the final practice and good luck party before the Canadian Championships.

Team T-shirts A gift of a t-shirt, worn for warm-up, that has special meaning or motivation for the skaters on the team.

black ice Team Ring The black ice ring is a combination of diamonds, black onyx and black sapphires set in a gold base. The rings are presented to the skaters at the end of the season to acknowledge their year of hard work and commitment. Stones are added each season to reflect the continued value that a skater brings to the team with each year of training.

Year End Banquet A lovely sit-down dinner and ceremony attended by all the black ice teams and their families, held in celebration of the past season's accomplishments.

Alumni Membership black ice alumni are a wonderful support team to the current black ice teams both in the stands at competitions and throughout the training season.