Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport is some 4,000 miles from the Winter Olympics in Italy, but the rink is closely tied to four people representing Team USA at the games: Tage Thompson in men's hockey, Aerin Frankel in women's hockey and Kristen Santos-Griswold in speedskating.

Chris Drury played in prior Olympics and is back as the assistant general manager for the men's hockey team.

“They all call Wonderland home, and they're part of our Wonderland family,” said Lisa Fedick, the rink’s general manager. “We could not be more excited."

Fedick and husband John Ferguson run the rink and will be in Milano Cortina to cheer them on in person.

“We're so proud,” Ferguson told News 12.

Each Olympian spent a significant time at the rink in their younger years.

“Every day we were here for like two, three hours,” recalled Rick Santos, Kristen Santos-Griswold’s father. “A home away from home.”

Santos-Griswold grew up in Fairfield. She started as a figure skater, which is documented on Wonderland's walls, along with many athletes from the past few decades.

“My little Kristen,” Fedick said smiling. “Kristen came up through our Learn to Skate. I had the pleasure of working with her. I was not her primary figure skating coach, but I did coach her quite a bit.”

Santos-Griswold started dabbling in short track speed skating around age 9, according to her dad, and fell in love with it.

“Kristen is the hardest worker I know,” he told News 12.

“She was always fast, but she surprised me becoming a speed skater,” Ferguson added.

Now, she'll compete on the world’s biggest stage—a place she’s been before. Santos-Griswold made her Olympic debut at Beijing in 2022 and has her eye on medals this time around.

“From the beginning, that was Kristen’s goal,” Santos stated.

It’s something Ferguson said he predicted for goalie Aerin Frankel years ago.

“I said to her father, I said, ‘Peter, you have something very special. We’re going to the Olympics,’” Ferguson recalled.

Frankel, who plays professionally for the Boston Fleet, grew up in Westchester but came to Wonderland at age 10.

“Aerin is just a woman who amazes me. She grew up always playing on the boys’ team. We first met Aerin when she joined one of our Connecticut Cobras teams and traveled to Las Vegas to a tournament. She played with some of the best male hockey players in her age bracket, and she was tough as nails,” Fedick explained. “She loves the work. She loves coming to the rink. She loves the practices. She loves the process, and that’s why these athletes are so successful.”

Tage Thompson, who plays professionally for the Buffalo Sabres, is another athlete whose rise doesn't surprise anyone at Wonderland. Tage arrived there when he was 12 after his family moved to the area for his dad to coach the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, according to Fedick.

“The thing with Tage is work ethic,” Fedick said. “If there was ever open ice, he would come in. It could be 6 a.m., 3 p.m., 11 p.m.—he was here.”

“He had size, which you can’t teach. And he had the ability and attitude,” Ferguson stated.

Fedic and Ferguson last went to the Olympics in 2002 to see Chris Drury on the ice. Drury grew up in Trumbull and went on to play 12 seasons in the NHL. He’s currently the general manager for the New York Rangers.

“I feel like we kind of raised Chris,” Fedick said with a laugh. “He lived about a mile from here and used to ride his bike to the rink.”

Fedick recalled one Christmas Eve where he was supposed to join their family.

“He asked us if we would open the rink for him instead. And instead of celebrating Christmas Eve, he was here by himself practicing until about midnight,” Fedick explained.

Though Drury will be at the games as an executive this time, he'll still have his Wonderland support in the audience.

"To have seen these athletes as young children and watch them grow up on and off the ice and now to see them at the pinnacle of their career, it's just almost overwhelming for us," said Fedick.

“There are no words, " Ferguson told News 12, adding, "My predictions—we go 3-0 gold medals."

Ferguson also said that no matter the outcome, he plans to hold a celebration in honor of all the Wonderland Olympians once the games are over.