METUCHEN – If you build it, they will come.

That's what more than a dozen dads and some kids did on Sunday to ensure 150 members of the Metuchen Floor Hockey League will have an outdoor rink to use this winter, so the kids don't lose another season to COVID.

Armed with tools and lumber, the volunteers created a 90-by-50-foot floor hockey rink on the basketball court at the borough's Myrtle-Charles Park.

"They did a great job," said Mike Vissichelli, who runs the league which opens on Jan. 8. 

Mayor Jonathan Busch praised the "flash build" in a Facebook post on Monday.

"It's a really wonderful thing," the mayor said. "It allows another recreational opportunity for kids. It would be too much for that league to lose two seasons in a row, especially for the kids who look so forward to playing.

Helping Vissichelli were Billy and Will Seccombe, Russ Clancy, Mike Alvarez, Ed Anderson, Kaz Begonja, Blaise Accumano, Joe Rydarowski, Dan Gaughan, Dan Ralph, Ryan Greenbaum, Ryan Hale, Jose Gallegos, Tom Messina and Jeremy Goldenberg, according to the mayor's post.

"Metuchen is really made up of the sum of our volunteers," Busch said. "We wouldn't be the community we are without people like this. That's what people recognize and makes us different from some other places."

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The estimated $4,000 cost of the lumber and supplies for the build will be covered by league fees.

Vissichelli said the league was formed about 10 years ago by dads who wanted to get their kids outside during the cold winter months.

"It's been going pretty strongly,” Vissichelli said. “It's been getting bigger and bigger each year."

Previously the league had played in the gym at Moss School, which houses the borough's kindergarten students. Last season was lost to COVID and in planning for this year, league organizers wanted to make sure they would have a full season of play.

"So we decided to do it outside and get a bunch of volunteers together to build some boards, and the town was gracious enough to allow us to use the basketball courts down there to build our hockey rink for the winter," Vissichelli said.

He said the court will remain open to the public for basketball use during the floor hockey season.

"We built the rink in a way that the hoops are still accessible," Vissichelli said.

Vissichelli said initially the plan was to build the rink on Saturday before rain postponed the work until Sunday.

"Fifteen folks came out and we were able to knock it out in a good day's work," said Vissichelli, who added he’s handy and had researched online how to build the oval. "But I never built anything like that before. This was a first time, for sure."

Vissichelli, who grew up playing roller and ice hockey, is now sharing his passion for hockey with his sons, one in eighth grade and the other in sixth grade.

"We started doing this when they were younger, and they love it. Everybody in town, before I even got involved in the floor hockey, was always talking about how great it is. It's such a good time, the kids all enjoy it and have fun and we got involved," he said.

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.