Earlier this year we were on hand in Luther Gulick Park, where State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver indulged his passion for basketball. Yesterday, at the Al Smith Recreation Center, we learned about the speaker’s enthusiasm for another sport. Announcing a free street hockey program for kids, Silver appeared alongside New York Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto and former player Brian Mullen. 
The program is being sponsored by the City Parks Department, along with Madison Square Garden and Coca Cola. It’s open to kids 8-16 and will be offered at several indoor locations throughout the city, including the Al Smith Rec Center, 80 Catherine Street. The clinics will be held 4-6pm Wednesdays (no registration necessary – just drop in).
Silver is a big hockey fan. He brought his own Rangers cap and seemed to be having a great time chatting with Del Zotto and Mullen. On a more serious note, he said the free program is a great solution for parents who want to make sure their kids get some exercise during the winter months.
And now, because we can’t resist here’s a gratuitous photo from that Gulick Park basketball shoot-around last spring:
