On most days, the Ice Vault in Wayne, New Jersey, is alive with the echoes of skates slicing through frost and pucks hitting boards. But as the buzzer rings and the locker rooms empty, the arena transforms. That’s when George Katsock, the assistant general manager of building operations, emerges on his trusty Zamboni.

Katsock has driven the Ice Vault Zamboni for more than 11 years, an unsung hero behind every polished sheet of frozen water. For the hockey players and figure skaters who frequent the rink, his presence has become part of its identity, a fixture as reliable as the ice itself.

“All the kids I’ve seen grow up from the smallest level of hockey as a Mite at 6 or 8 years old … is probably the most rewarding thing I can be a part of,” Katsock said. “Not just a part of the building or staff, just the friendships and getting to know the kids, getting to know the parents, the players, and seeing what they become.”

Born and raised in Bloomingdale, Katsock came to the Ice Vault out of necessity in 2013. “My contract as a maintenance worker for the Bloomingdale Board of Education wasn’t renewed,” he recalled, “so I needed a job in a pinch.” He saw a classified ad in the newspaper looking for a Zamboni driver. “Growing up a Rangers fan, I knew the game of hockey,” he said. “I knew everything about hockey, just never worked in a place that dealt with hockey. But I loved being around the game, so I figured it was something that I enjoyed watching and being a part of, so why not make it something that I could do as a career.”

The adjustment period wasn’t easy. Katsock quickly learned that driving a Zamboni required patience, precision, and an eye for detail. Unlike most vehicles, a Zamboni must be driven at a steady, careful pace, cutting inch-thin layers of ice, while spreading a thin layer of warm water over the surface that freezes into a flawless finish.

“Learning how to drive the Zamboni was very overwhelming at first: I even crashed it into the garage door early on in the first year I was there,” Katsock said with a chuckle. “I probably got comfortable after about three years of driving.”

Katsock has gained a reputation as a perfectionist, taking pride in the condition of the rink. After his ninth year driving the Zamboni, he was promoted. “I have to oversee everything operating in the building efficiently, making sure there are no major issues,” he said. “If there are, you have to deal with that firsthand.”

He’s up against the clock all season. The Ice Vault sees all sorts of teams and fans come to the rink every day, from level 1 through college. The pressure doesn’t bother him, though.

“It really is every little nut and bolt,” he said. “Every little in and out of this building in every corner, every part, whether it’s the bar, the pro shop, the embroidering room, the restaurant, the rinks, machines, refrigeration. Every aspect of this building is touched by these hands in some way, shape, or form.”

Some of the hardest aspects of Katsock’s career have nothing to do with operations. “There’s a lot of drama that goes on within the rink, whether it’s parent-coach, children,” he said. “And unfortunately, the high school brings a lot of drama. The kids try to get a leg up on the building in general. Kids like to party and do things before they come in, or in the building, and try not to get caught. But they inevitably do get caught. I give ’em a lot of credit because it takes a lot of, whatever you wanna call it, to try and pull off things considering everyone has a phone and every corner of this building has cameras. The security in this building is very strict.”

Arena regulars have come to know Katsock as a friend. On any given day, he’s chatting with parents in the stands, high-fiving kids who come by to watch the Zamboni, and even giving the occasional tour of the ice resurfacer to those who are curious. He said he loves to catch up with former youth hockey players who come back years later “and reminisce about how it was when they were little kids.”