Kurt Schaefers
Age: 21; Residence: Lawrenceville
Kurt Schaefers really knows how to clear a space. The senior at the University of Pittsburgh began working at The Rink at PPG Place while in high school and, three years ago, learned to drive an ice-resurfacing machine -- think Zamboni. He's been behind the wheel ever since.
Question: What got you interested in working at an ice rink?
Answer: I needed a job in high school, and I was into sports in high school. I like hockey. One of my friends worked down here. I just like the environment and the people who work here.
Q: What's the hardest part about driving it?
A: You don't want to break the glass. There's a lot of mechanical stuff with the hydraulics. There's a lot of levers and stuff you just have to get used to without looking at them.
Q: Is this rink more challenging?
A: If it was a regular hockey rink, it would be a lot easier, There's a lot more turns, especially when you have to turn and go around the center. I won't say it's hard, but it takes time to get used to. ... It's a little scary when you're first learning.
Q: Everyone stands around and watches when you clear the ice. Ever get a little stage fright?
A: The first time, at the beginning of the year, like on Light Up Night, and it's only the first or second time you've driven it all year, you kind of get a little nervous. You don't want something to go wrong with a couple thousand people watching you do it, with little kids yelling and screaming.
Q: Have you ever had any problems on the ice?
A: When it snows a lot, it can build up. If there's a lot of snow and the Zamboni fills up, it can stall out on the ice. Basically, it's really hard to get it back going because if it gets clogged up, then you're kind of stuck. That happened to me almost once last year. You have to melt the snow. It would be a big mess. You've just got to pay attention.
Q: If you could drive it anywhere, where would you want to drive it?
A: (Mellon Arena), obviously. We talk about that that would be fun to do, to be a Zamboni driver with the Pens. And we always talk about just taking it off road, what the cops would do and how far we would get, because it only goes 15 mph max.
Q: When you watch hockey, do you find yourself checking out someone else's technique?
A: It's not technique � it's pretty much all the same. Not too many people drive Zambonis, so you do notice it more than somebody else. Before I drove it, I didn't really pay attention. I would just watch it at a game. But now that I drive it, I think I do notice it a little more.
