NATIO NAL SKATI NG MON TH
by DAVE LEMIEUX
How big is National Skating Month? “It’s big, it’s very big,” Cleveland Edges Skat-
ing Club Program Director and Head Coach Jeff Marshall said. “We time it very early — the first Saturday in January — so that the free lessons we offer bring people in to sign up for our winter sessions.” It’s an all-hands-on-deck effort that helps
keep the ice at the North Olmsted Recreation Complex’s rink outside Cleveland busy year- round.
Te one-day blitz at the North Olmsted rink
puts everyone who’s anyone in the Cleveland area on the ice, including mascots Snowplow Sam and the AHL Lake Erie Monsters’ Sully the Seagull. Tere’s a lot going on during a day that be-
gins with everyone skating on the main rink and ends more than four hours later with a sled hock- ey tournament game. It’s the free lessons that take place about ev-
ery half hour, though, that contribute most to the event’s success, Marshall said. “We offer free 20-minute introductory skat- ing lessons on our studio rink. Tere are 20 in a class and four classes.” Exhibitions on the main rink demonstrate
just how far skating can take you, but it’s the mag- ic that happens in those four introduction classes that keeps the sport vibrant in Cleveland. “It’s up to our staff to bring people in and
they’ve been pretty successful,” Marshall said. “A good majority of the people in the classes join the program. We get between 300 and 315 every year and our highest was two years ago when we got 525 to attend. We draw a pretty good crowd.” Drawing a crowd is one thing, keeping
it is another. Marshall does it as rink master for a two-rink circus. Tere’s something new on ice every 10 minutes from the time the event begins with an “All Skate” session. While newcomers work on mastering the basics on the studio
Skaters at the Ice Den in Scottsdale, Ariz., enjoy a man-made winter wonderland during NSM.
A sled hockey tournament is a big hit for the Cleveland Edges Skating Club during NSM.
rink, graduates of those intro classes are on the main rink demonstrating free skating, synchro- nized skating and hockey. Everything skate-relat- ed gets its moment in the sun (there’s even time set aside for a Zamboni demonstration). Boys only, girls only and couples only skates
follow the skating exhibitions, and a prize raffle adds a little spice to the proceedings. Marshall gives little chance for anyone’s attention to wander away from skating when
they’re off ice either. “We’ve got tables and information booths on classes, our summer skating camp, U.S. Figure Skating and ice show tryouts,” he said. It’s not over even when National Skating
Day is over in North Olmsted. “Te last couple of years we’ve put this back- to-back with a sled hockey tournament,” he said. “It’s all free and a lot of people go.” At the Ice Den in sunny Scottsdale, Ariz.,
organizers block out a solid week to celebrate National Skating Month, Dawn Piepen- brink-McCosh, director of the facility’s learn- to-skate program, said. “We have it slotted the week of nationals and are planning a big celebration on the night of Jan. 23.” Piepenbrink-McCosh has her rink’s club skaters on ice at all times to assist new skaters.
A big pile of snow generated by the
Zamboni is one of the signature high- lights of National Skating Month at Ice Den. “Since it’s Arizona, there’s not
much snow here and it’s lots of fun for the kids. It is a huge hit,” Piepen- brink-McCosh said. She plans to kick it up a notch this
year with neon glow sticks, in addition to taking full advantage of the rink’s sound system and light show. Piepenbrink-McCosh also has a full
slate of exhibitions and free skates sched- uled in addition to off-ice activities that include getting tattoos, face-painting and watching TVs tuned to nationals all week.
To learn more about National Skating
Month, go to
www.usfigureskating.org and click on “Programs” and “National Skating Month.”
12 DECEMBER 2014
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