MedStar Capitals Iceplex — Local services in Arlington

Kettler Capitals Iceplex benefits from its central location (easly accessed by D.C., Maryland and Virginia residents), its ample parking (via a mall parking garage), proximity to the Metro (Ballston stop), its two sheets of ice, and its association with the Washington Capitals (it is the Capitals practice facility).

Unfortunately that's where the positives of Kettler end.

Kettler, in my opinion, has one of the most poorly run adult hockey leagues in the D.C. area. The league manager and adult program coordinator are absent, from a management standpoint. The GM of Kettler isn't any better.

Kettler has had issues with items being stolen from locker rooms (which can happen anywhere), however the lack of personnel on hand does not help.

While the ice is in pretty good shape, the facilities are poor. Locker rooms are often trashed. Toilets are many times broken (seats removed, won't flush, etc). Many showers either don't have water or the shower heads have been broken off. While some of this comes with being a public use facility (although lockerrooms are generally locked for the general public), these issues go unresolved for many many months.

In reviewing Kettler Capitals Iceplex, it's important to draw a line between what works and what doesn't. My experience with the front desk staff has always been positive. The ice is generally good. So the day-to-day operations are OK. The management of hockey leagues, especially in my experience in adult hockey, leaves much to be desired. Kettler Capitals iceplex would benefit from a general manager who actually manages. The adult hockey leagues would benefit from greater focus and care from the hockey director.

At the end of the day Kettler Capitals Iceplex likely has little motivation to "better its ways." There is ample demand in the D.C. area for adult hockey, and while demand is high, Kettler knows the money will come in, and that customer service is optional.

My recommendation; before forking over $700 to play a season of adult hockey at Kettler, take a look at other adult leagues in the area. There are many sheets of ice in the area (just not as centrally located). You can find less expensive league with the same level of competition, but far better service. If you're looking for a place for "open skating" Kettler, while more expensive than other facilities in the area, is a decent option (if for no other reason than Metro access, parking...

My son and I both skate at Med Star Caps Iceplex as part of the figure skating program. The rink takes significant precautions both on occupancy and cleaning protocols to keep skaters and staff safe. In this time of the pandemic, masks are also mandatory on the figure skating rink and in the facility overall. Hours for figure skating are somewhat reduced most Fall/Winters due to the Caps need for the ice, but if early mornings work for you, there is generally ice time to reserve. Reservations are made via the OpenSports or Dash apps. Classes and individual lessons are available. My son completed the Basic skating lesson series here and now does Sky High for more advanced figure skaters. He also participated in some of the Summer figure skating camps, which are offered for various ability level skaters. He has really enjoyed his skating journey so far and this is largely due to the wonderful coaches (Mary Clamp and Connor Tasker, to name two) and fellow skaters on the ice with him. This is our go-to rink in the area. Great people and well...

I wanted to share our experience at MedStar over the past four years. Our oldest son was eager to start skating and playing hockey at just five years old, so we enrolled him in skating classes followed by the "Learn to Play" program. Both programs were exceptional, seamlessly blending fun with instruction during every minute of ice time.

By the time he was six, he was ready to join the house league. It became clear how much his interest in the sport had grown, largely due to the positive experiences we all had throughout this journey.

Today, he’s playing travel hockey with the Caps Academy, enjoying every moment and forming lifelong friendships, even as we embark on the sometimes exhausting trips together.

I want to give a special thanks to Ben Kwon of the hockey department. He has been exceptional with my son both on and off the ice. His mentorship and instruction has made my son a better player and...