How two 11-year-old girls from small town in Pennsylvania saved Dek hockey rink from becoming pickleball courts

Natalie Van Druff and Lily Walter, two 11-year-old girls from the small town of Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, stepped up to save their local outdoor Dek hockey rink from being turned into pickleball courts. The young girls became friends while playing deck hockey at their city's only local outdoor hockey rink.

A few months ago, Natalie's mom, Kate Van Druff, found out that the deck hockey rink was in danger of being replaced. Notably, pickleball is quietly becoming more popular across North America.

Kate went out to the city to donate new nets for the hockey rink after the town council made her aware of the situation. Natalie, like her mother, set out on a mission with her friend Lilly to save their dek hockey rink.

The two 11-year-old girls from Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, successfully obtained over 900 signatures from locals who supported their idea to not only keep the rink open but to improve it as well.

Earlier this month, Natalie and Lilly received some fantastic news about the hockey rink. The two 11-year-old girls were informed that the rink would be preserved and not turned into pickleball courts.

Not only that, they were also invited to play a crucial role in identifying the areas that need improvement during the renovations. Natalie and Lilly found inspiration from the renovated ball hockey rink in Gloucester Township, which had a partnership with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021.

The council members were impressed by the girls' ideas and presentation and have scheduled another meeting for March. The opportunity allowed the girls to have a direct impact on making the rink better for everyone in the community.

What is Dek Hockey?

For people outside Canada, Dek hockey is played on an outdoor rink with a street ball, making it accessible to kids who can't skate or afford expensive ice hockey equipment. It is a variation of ice hockey, and is also known as street hockey or gym hockey.