Sports TRACKer: Hurricanes practice is great fun — and a freebie!

Above: Kids get a close-up look at Hurricanes practice. That's Hurricanes hall of famer Ron Francis (left) and Tom Rowe on the ice, both assistant coaches for Carolina.


Here's an idea for both parents and kids — and it's one you may not have thought about: Have you ever been to a Carolina Hurricanes practice?
They are free and open to the public!

In fact, the National Hockey League is the only major sports league that holds open practices, at the discretion of the individual teams. The Hurricanes have always had an open door policy for their practices, and it's a real treat for fans.

During the season, most practices are held at the RBC Center, usually between 10 a.m. and noon. The atmosphere is perfect for fans of any age and interest level. You can go right down to the glass at ice level, or you can move up a few rows and actually hear the instruction from the coaches and the banter between players. (If there is a scheduling conflict at the arena, the Hurricanes practice at the Rec Zone in Raleigh, which makes for a very up-close experience. Those events are also open to the public).

At the RBC Center, kids often seek out the prime real estate right along the ice. If you get there at the start of the practice, you might even be lucky enough to have a player toss you a puck. If your kid has a favorite player, maybe bring a small sign. That might insure a puck — or at least a smile and a wave from the player.

It's fun for moms and dads, too. If you follow the Canes like I do, it's a chance to learn a few subtle things about the team. And if you're just a casual fan, you will still be impressed by the sheer skill level and speed of the players.

You might think an 18,000-seat arena would be a tricky place to have an informal family outing, but it's just the opposite. The "crowds" range between 10 on a slow day and 50 on a busy day. Yes, it is a well kept secret. Most practices last just about an hour, which I've found to be a perfect amount of time to hold the attention of my kids. There are ushers at practice, and they discourage horsing around and running on the stairs. But if you have a little one who wants to roam the aisles near your seats, that's OK. It's also reassuring that fans are kept to a five-section area in the lower bowl of the arena, so your kids won't easily slip away from you.

The Hurricanes will contine to practice into the second week of April, and hopefully longer if they make the playoffs, so this is an ideal outing for parents with kids on Track 4. The practice schedule is posted on the team's web site, and it is usually updated for the next 10 days to two weeks. Here's a tip: check the web site before you go. On rare occasions, practice times are changed on short notice (usually the day after returning from a road trip), but the team is good about posting updates.

One more thing you need to know: Only one set of arena doors is open for practice. Park in the parking lot outside the RBC Center box office and the Eye store (souvenir shop). Go to the first set of doors to the right of the Eye, about 50 yards away. Walk right in.

If you haven't tried this event, give it a shot. It's a rare opportunity to see great athletes performing up close — for free. And here's one more tip: There is a Wendy's next to the arena. It's rarely busy and it has Hurricanes memorabilia on the walls. If my kids are well behaved, we grab lunch as an extra treat. It makes a nice "two-fer" outing for the kids, and they always go home happy.