01/22/2026
Now this is what real athletes are about….Ice skating showing up when it counts: lacing up with grace and gratitude!
Kendall Coyne Schofield donates $250,000 to save Ice Arena at her hometown — the rink that nurtured her passion for hockey in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and helped shape the legend she is today.
The new plaque now hanging in the rink has staff and locals in tears.
Ice Arena Oak Lawn opened its doors to Coyne Schofield when she was just a young girl, offering her more ice time than most athletes could dream of, especially during times when her family was struggling to afford extra training sessions.
The rink became her sanctuary — a place where she could hone her skills, chase her dreams, and ignite her love for hockey.
That unassuming generosity from the rink’s staff was pivotal in her rise to stardom, transforming the young girl from Oak Lawn into one of the most respected figures in the sport, a forward for the Chicago Blackhawks, and a driving force for women’s hockey worldwide.
When Kendall learned that Ice Arena Oak Lawn was facing financial troubles and on the verge of closing, she took immediate action.
There were no cameras, no media frenzy.
In the quietest of ways, Kendall paid off the arena’s debt and had a small plaque installed that reads:
“For the place that gave me ice when all I had were dreams.”
It wasn’t for headlines. It was pure gratitude.
And for everyone who remembers the young Kendall Coyne Schofield skating tirelessly on those humble rinks, it’s a beautiful reminder that greatness never forgets where it all began.
