Rewarding opportunity
BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC SKATING PROGRAM ARE BOUNDLESS T
he Terapeutic Skating Program, offered as part of the Sugar Land Ice &
Sports Center’ s Basic Skills Program in Sugar Land, Texas, and sponsored by
STARskaters.org, recently cel- ebrated its first anniversary of teach- ing individuals with a broad range of disabilities the sport of ice skating. Run by B.L. Wylie and her staff
of instructors at Sugar Land, this first year has been an overwhelming success, with many lessons learned, which they would like to share with anyone interested in starting this rewarding program at a local rink. Te ultimate win-win-win-
win program Terapeutic skating lessons
provide benefits for everyone in- volved. And after a year filled with smiles and accomplishments, the staff at Sugar Land feels that thera- peutic skating is something every rink should consider adding to its Basic Skills Program offerings. Participants win as their skating
skills increase and their physical and emotional well-being improve. Te program has enabled participants’ skating to advance beyond the point that their parents, or often their care professionals, felt they could prog- ress.
Parents win as they watch their child blossom before their eyes. Suc- cess stories abound from parents who see the structure of the skating program providing off-ice benefits, allowing their child to better fit into a group. Te skaters and their fami- lies look forward to their weekly time on the ice so much that parents can use it as a reward for good behavior. Instructors win when they
discover the dramatic impact their skating experience has on the lives of individuals who have never before been given such an opportunity. In- structors earn needed public service volunteer hours for their work in their schools.
Rinks win as they provide ser-
vice to an entirely new class of skat- ers. Sometimes a therapeutic skater advances to the point of joining the standard Basic Skills classes. Far be-
yond the new revenue, the rink is seen as a great local resource, creat- ing goodwill and connecting with many organizations and groups with whom there was little or no previous contact. Getting started Te easiest way to start a pro- gram is to contact a local service or- ganization that deals with individu- als with special needs. Te next step is to schedule a date for a skating event. In the case of STARskaters. org, that organization is Te ARC of Fort Bend County. Such organi- zations schedule many special events for their members and are always looking for new entertainment op- portunities. It’s important to be prepared with plenty of volunteers to assist skaters at the event. In-house instruc- tors and skaters are a good place to start. Tey will likely point the way to a special volunteer group, such as the high school group STARskaters used for its last ARC skating event. Helmets and gloves are a must and ice walkers are a good idea. Many rinks find that ice walkers are useful for their regular sessions and make them available to rent as an aid for new skaters for both lessons and public sessions. Some participants at the skating
event will become the core attendees for a Terapeutic Skating class. New contacts will also have developed with the service organization. Tat organi- zation can help in identifying other organizations in the area, creating ad- ditional sources of participants. Francesca’s story One of the first skaters on the ice
at the initial ARC of Fort Bend Coun- ty skating event was a young woman named Francesca. She was born with no eyes, and, as is clear in the photo- graph, was heavily dependent on her skater assistant to get around the ice. It was her first time on the ice and she loved it! Over the past year, she and her
instructor Mandy Benavides have become close friends, and Francesca has excelled beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. She has already earned four
Francesca has a ball on the ice as her instructor and friend Mandy Benavides urges her on.
badges in the therapeutic badge pro- gram and has progressed to the point of skating on her own, and on one foot.
She is a true testament of what
can be achieved if an individual is given a chance. Off the ice Skaters perform a short exercise to loosen their bodies and focus their minds before they get on the ice. Te benefits of this warm-up, which have been documented by Dr. John Ratey of Harvard Medical School, include preparing the skaters for their lessons of the day. Instructors also receive off-ice
training to provide a general knowl- edge of working with individuals with disabilities. Tis includes how to handle and motivate skaters with multiple challenges. Te idea is to start at their present level and prog- ress from there. Parents are also given instruc- tion about what to expect and how to enjoy watching therapeutic skat- ing lessons. It has been found that an educated parent is a happier parent, particularly within this community. On Te Ice
Te 30 minutes of ice time is split into three segments: a 10-min-
ute “playtime” when coaches can be paired with each skater. Tis is fol- lowed by 15 minutes of one-on-one lessons and finally five minutes of relaxing or practicing skills. Challenges
A Terapeutic Program is cer- tainly not without its challenges, but overcoming each challenge provides a reward. Te payoff comes every week in witnessing how important skating has become to the students and seeing each child bloom with ability, confidence and newfound social skills. Funding is always at the top of the list of issues. Money for ice time, skates and adaptive equipment may all be needed. Depending on local resources, locating volunteers and instructors may be a challenge. But once the program begins to take shape and gather momentum and the “win” benefits are realized by every- one involved, the challenges fade and it becomes the best hour of the week anyone can spend on or off the ice. For more information on start-
ing your own therapeutic skating program within your Basic Skills program, contact Brenda Glildewell at
bglidewell@usfigureskating.org.
SKATING 39
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