Roller Hockey League complies with new state law

The Lynbrook Roller Hockey League is a youth roller hockey organization which was established in 1998 by current Lynbrook Village Mayor Alan Beach, who, at the time, was just a young dad that wanted to coach his two boys and their friends in a sport they loved. 

The league is based at the hockey rink complex located in the south west corner of Greis Park. The Lynbrook Roller Hockey Complex includes the rink, a scoreboard, a fan viewing area, the hockey shack, and the adjacent parking lot.  It was built after Beach — and other interested hockey parents — secured a bond from the village in the late 1990’s. The construction of the complex transformed what used to be an underutilized gravel parking lot into a hockey enthusiast’s dream.

The construction of the hockey rink coincided with the building of the Lynbrook Village Pool on the other side of Greis Park, which opened around the same time. These two projects helped make Greis Park into a jewel for Lynbrook residents to enjoy through today.

The hockey league has thrived for much of its existence, introducing many children from the area to the game of hockey. With financial assistance from Assemblyman Brian Curran and the village, the league took a hiatus this past fall for a much-needed rink renovation.

The renovation consisted of resurfacing the rink, a replacement of the dasher boards, and new hockey nets. This renovation, coupled with an updated scoreboard which was replaced in 2021, made the rink look new.

The league is truly grateful for the financing they received from their local government officials. However, one thing was still missing to make the legitimacy of the league complete.  That was an Automated External Defibrillator.

In late 2024, the executive board of the league began to research the purchase of an AED to assist in case there was a heart emergency at the rink. After a short search, league president Brian Paladino was able to secure grant funding through the Frank J. Antun Foundation. Armed with advice from the Lynbrook Fire Department, the league purchased an AED unit that matched the type of unit that local ambulances carry. 

The Frank J. Antun Foundation, founded in 1986, was enthusiastic to help out. The foundation is the legacy of the Antun family, which owned and operated numerous successful restaurants and catering facilities.

The goal of the foundation, as stated on FoundationCenter.org, is to provide funding “primarily for health organizations, particularly for cancer; funding also for children, youth, and social services, and to services for people who are blind or hearing impaired.”

The foundation has given to many youth organizations on Long Island since its inception. The league is very thankful for their gift. This donation happened to coincide with the passage of New York State Law S.7424/A366A, which mandates that by October 2025, the implementation of an AED plan for all Camps and Youth Sport Leagues needs to be in place.

Thanks to the generosity of the Frank J. Antun Foundation, and the foresight of the Lynbrook Roller Hockey League leadership, Lynbrook Roller Hockey League players and fans will be compliant with the new state law and be secure knowing an AED will be available to them anytime they are at the rink.