Adam Stirn was like a lot of us, when he went to a hockey game as a kid, he was transfixed by the Zamboni ice clearing machine.

Now he drives one at the world's biggest sporting event.

Adam Stirn grew up in Big Rapids and first started driving a Zamboni as a student at Ferris State, clearing the ice for the Bulldog hockey team.

Upon graduating, he wound up managing the ice for the University of Minnesota's hockey arena, and driving a Zamboni part time for the NHL's Minnesota WIld.

When the call went out for Zamboni drivers for the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Stirn answered the call and was chosen to drive at the Olympics.

If the 37 Zamboni drivers at the Olympics were a nation, they would be the 22nd largest contingent at the Games. Canadians and Americans make up most of the Zamboni drivers, who clear the ice for five venues, which host sports from ice hockey to speed skating and figure skating.

Stirn is assigned to the ice hockey venue, and NBC's cameras found him and did a feature on him at the Games. 

He says he can tell the quality of the ice by its sound, and by listening to it, he can tell exactly how much ice needs to be shaved and how much water needs to be used.

His old friends at Ferris State gave him a shout out on Twitter following his selection to the Zamboni "team" for Pyeongchang.

 

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